The Red Room
by Hoozuki
Summary: Sasuke is given one job: befriend Sakura, a girl with psychic powers and a dark past. But he gets more than he can handle. Can he get the job done or fail? "I can only help you if you let me in." SasuSaku Please be kind and review. Thanks!
1. Chapter I: The Beginning

Hello! It has been an absolutely long time since I've done anything. Also because today or tonight is Halloween, I thought I'd post this new story on Halloween! You will notice similarities from Jigoku Shoujo (though I haven't seen it in years-don't know if I got much of the detail right) FYI! I just wanted to try horror for a change since I freakin love them. Anyways, I hope you like it!

Disclaimer: I don't own it, but if I did! Oh, the things I'd do lol

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_**The Red Room**_

_**By: Hoozuki**_

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_The Beginning_

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"_In a dark time, the eye begins to see.__"__-Cavett Roberts_

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It was dark and humid that night. The cicadas and crickets were especially loud this evening, bringing the forest to life. The glowing full moon was more ominous than peaceful as she shined her light on a small secluded village. The village was a quiet little place; the population was only about fifty or so people—about twenty or more families. The village was a small farming community with one physician, three law enforcers, a tiny supermarket, and single beat up bar. They survived by exporting their crops to the larger towns outside of the forest miles away. Of course, like most small villages, rituals and traditions are used to help good crops grow every year. This village's particular ritual and tradition is so sacred that no outsiders were allowed to know. The ritual happens every seven years on the night of the full moon. However, five years ago, the ritual went wrong and the crops have been dying with the lack of rain and business slowed from no productions. This night, the villagers were going to set everything right again.

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_Start_

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In the center of the small village square, each and every one of the villagers were gathered with lanterns and flashlights, standing around a hole in the ground with a statue of their god of agriculture next to it. On the edge of the hole stood two people holding the third person by the shoulders who was kneeling. The two who stood was a man and woman: the man was a red-head while the woman was a blonde—both of whom were in their late thirties. The person they were holding down was a girl of twelve years with short pink hair dressed in a simple white kimono—which symbols innocence and purity—with a white blindfold over her eyes. However, the blindfold wasn't tied tight enough, allowing her left green eye to see part of her surroundings. Fear and anxiety were running wildly in her body as it froze in terror. While the priest of the village chanted the rites of the ritual, the girl was trying to undo her restraints. There were constant murmurs and whispers circulating around the gathering—prayers that the god will forgive them for not giving him the sacrifices.

One of the villagers was fidgeting uncontrollably, glancing here and there for intruders. "We should hurry with the ritual, Yamagi-san," the fidgeting man urged, flicking his wide eyes to the bound girl. "Before she uses her powers against us like she did Mizutani."

The priest, Yamagi, ignored him as if he didn't hear the man. In front of the priest was his daughter, holding an ancient tome. She glared at the nervous man with impatience. "Shouta, calm down," she reprimanded, her voice low and strong. "If we want to have good crops this year, we must do the ritual correctly—not like last time. Especially now that we know that the Haruno girl's spiritual—"

"I thought it was psychic powers!" one person blurted from the crowd.

"Whatever! The point is—she has supernatural powers that would be good to appease the god with," the daughter said with exasperation. "We can't let a good opportunity like this go to waste. We need to do everything properly this time—no mistakes." When the priest was done, the woman looked at her father questioningly. "Is the ritual done, Otousan?"

He shook his head as his old gray eyes fell on the sacrifice. "Not yet," his croaky voice responded. "We need to throw the sacrifice in; Kizashi, Mebuki—please throw Sakura-chan into the hole."

Upon hearing the words, the twelve year old began to struggle against the hands holding her. The two adults nodded, and lifted the child underneath her shoulders, hovering her over the edge.

"Otousan! Okaasan! Onegai! Onegai!" she begged, tears running down her face as she desperately fought against the ropes that were biting into her wrists. "Don't let them do this! Please!"

Mebuki shook her head sadly. "Sakura, please understand; this is for the good of the village."

"Yes, for the good of the village—the greater good always outweighs the one," Kizashi added melancholically. "It's the only way."

"No! No, it's not! Please snap out of it before you regret it!" Sakura screamed, digging the heels of her feet into the dirt. "Please, this isn't you!"

Everyone averted their gazes elsewhere, feeling the guilt at sacrificing the child and many others before her. It was the way of things here. Sacrifice one seven-year-old every seven years from each family during a full moon near the summer solstice. Everything had gone smoothly every seven years: the children never knew what was going on and just thought their friends died of sicknesses. But, five years ago, when it was the Harunos turn to sacrifice their child, unbeknownst to them, the child was able to dig her way out and escaped into the woods. It was when she snuck in to save her little brother that they found out she was alive and the cause of their misfortunes.

The priest apologized and nodded for the Haruno parents to throw their daughter into the pit. Sakura gasped, now sobbing for them to let her go as Mebuki bent down to give a kiss on her forehead.

"You'll see us again soon, Sakura," her mother reassured with love, and then backed away as the Haruno patriarch lifted his daughter over the hole and dropped her into the darkness. Her mother and father embraced each other, avoiding their daughter's wide-eye gaze. The men standing by the pit picked up their shovels, lifting and dropping the dirt over the child's body all the while ignoring the screams of anger and betrayal. They kept pouring and pouring and pouring until the very last thing they saw was her wide, bloodshot, cold green eye.

The final thing they heard was her warning, that she'd come back to kill every single one of them. When the very last shovel of dirt sealed up the pit, the villagers stood in silence too shaken up by her words. They all stared at one another before going back to the Haruno's place to pray and mourn for the lost of two more children.

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_Preface_

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It was past midnight going well into two in the morning. Although the village was quiet, in each of the houses, the residents were restless with unease from the child's ominous warning. The clocks were ticking ever so thunderously with each minute that passes as the night continues on. Once comforting, the sounds of summer bugs were now nails on a chalkboard. As the night dragged on, it seemed everything was getting deafening and nerve-wrecking.

Yamagi-san was tossing and turning in his bed as her words echoed in the walls of his mind. He tossed the blanket off his body which was drenched with perspiration when he suddenly caught something from the corner of his eye. The old man snapped his gaze to the window on his right, sighing in relief when it was just the silhouette of the tree. Breathing deeply through in his nose, the priest calmed himself and sunk low into his mattress, closing his tired lids. Taking another full breath of air, he turned to his side with his back to the door.

_Creak!_

Gray brows furrowed at the sound, wondering if the dog got into his room again and grunted. When no sound was made, Yamagi-san groaned, opening his eyes as he turned to see what the dog was doing. However, he saw human feet, and assumed it was his daughter at the door.

"Chitose, what are you doing by the door?" he demanded, annoyed because it was two in the morning. She didn't answer back; he let out a low sigh, suspecting she was worried about the Haruno girl. The old man was tired; he closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose to ease the ache there. "Look, those were empty words, dear. Go back to sleep."

Still, he received no response and heard no movements of leaving. It was then he noticed when silence finally sank in. There was a dripping sound in the background. It was so quiet and subtle that he probably wouldn't have noticed it on a regular night. The drips fell consecutively at first in perfect rhythm until it started to slow down to an agonizing _pit…pit…pit…_

The priest suddenly felt as if a large weight was dropped onto his chest and everything was moving in slow motion. His throat was dry; he felt the need to swallow the lump in his throat and lick his chapped lips. His eyes opened and were looking at the feet by the doorframe. The room was so dark he didn't see that there were smudges of dirt and mud on them. But it was what the feet were standing in that made his heart freeze in horror and panic as he let out a raspy gasp. Reflecting the light of the moon was blood in copious amounts that he was sure no one could survive without bleeding out. Ominously, the reflection of the moon was red—a red moon was a bad omen in their village, a warning that something bad was about to happen or had happened. He lifted his gaze in deliberate slowness and gagged when his eyes fix on the source of all the blood—the head of his daughter severed brutally with blood just dripping from the open wound—being held by a small pale and dirty hand. When he finally landed his gaze on the face, before he could even let out a scream…the last image he saw was a wide, sadistic smile.

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_Foreword_

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Still unable to sleep, Kizashi was even now thinking about his first born. He had never had to sacrifice his own child before, and was feeling all the more guilty. Sure, he'd help others through the transition of sacrificing their own; but, it was another story when it's your own blood. Everyone in the community has had older siblings sacrificed before them and were therefore spared. At first, it was completely devastating and traumatizing when the adults explained the situation. However, as time passed by and as he grew older, watching children younger than him becoming a sacrifice, he gradually understood that it was a way of life, and there was nothing he could do about it.

But that view was shattered when Sakura was born. Mebuki became more and more overwhelmed with panic and stress as each birthday arrived until she snapped and took out her rage on Sakura. When Sakura turned seven years old, she was so happy; she ran throughout the village—suddenly forgetting the abuse she had endure—telling the residents to come to the Haruno house to celebrate with them. But Kizashi knew better—or, at least, he thought he did. The night they buried her, he made sure to loosen her ropes; he gave her the tightest embrace, advising her to escape the village when the people dispersed after the ritual.

That night was the final time he ever saw her until today. Back then, he didn't realize the consequences of letting a sacrifice escape—of course, he wasn't really superstitious at the time, either. It wasn't until he suffered the full brunt force of the god's wrath that he finally comprehended why they sacrificed children—it was so they could survive. The children were a blessing—without them, the village would die. So when his eldest showed up to save her seven-year-old brother from becoming another sacrifice, he knew that it was up to him to restore the balance. With two sacrifices, their god would forgive for such impudence and disrespect. But because the Harunos had sacrificed two children, they were going to bury their youngest in the family cemetery. In spite of everything he did to atone for his sins, Kizashi had a nagging feeling in the back of his mind. He flinched when a sudden image of his daughter's eyes flashed into his head.

_'They were so red,'_ he reflected with a shiver. _'Even her tears ran red…'_

Feeling he can no longer get to sleep, Kizashi sat up from his bed—halting in his movements when he felt his wife shift on the other side. Letting out a quiet sigh, Kizashi left his bedroom for the bathroom across the hall. After rinsing his face of the sweat, he stayed bent over the sink to calm himself before drying his face. As he patted the towel across his face, his Sakura blossom necklace fell from its place underneath his shirt. He never took it off. Looking at it, he felt a deep sadness well up inside him. It was a gift from his daughter for his birthday, telling him that she cared and loved her papa. Closing his eyes to keep the tears from spilling, Kizashi tucked the necklace back in its proper place, and went downstairs to the kitchen. Time seemed to move much slowly for him now that everything was finally over. He could, at long last, let go of the heavy burden on his shoulders.

As he was drinking his glass of water, Kizashi noticed how bright it looked outside, and paused midway in his sips. Light gray pink brows furrowed as old, dull blue eyes glanced at the kitchen clock; it read four a.m. Now alarmed, he pulled back the curtains over the sink, the metal rings screeching noisily over the iron rod. His hand went numb as the glass slipped shattered on the tile floor while he took in the scene before him. The entire village was on fire. The buildings were next to nothing, making him wonder how long it burned for. Noticing the ground for the first time, his gaze narrowed at the randomly spread chunks across the dirt ground, curious as to what it was. Then…it felt like someone had slapped him across the face as he let out a strangled choke when he eventually realized what the chunks on the dirt was; they were body parts, and they were everywhere—some of which were still twitching. Quickly, Kizashi secure the locks on his windows, his hands shaking wildly with fear.

_Splash!_

_ Thump!_

_ Thump!_

Across the clear glass was a large splatter of blood with bits and pieces of flesh stuck to the surface. His breath caught in his throat, unable to let out a scream. Staring at the amount of blood sprayed across the glass, he knew that the person—whoever it was, it was hard to tell—did not survive the attack, and was no longer of this world. His leg suddenly felt heavy and deaden; his body unable to move as his ears picked up on the horrifying screams and shouts of his village. He moved his face closer to the window to see if anyone else was out there that he could possibly help. _'Maybe I can escape with Mebuki through the woods,'_ he presumed, trying to formulate a plan, gazing at the trees on the far right of his house.

_Thump! _

"AH!" the man cried loudly in fright, sweat dripping down his cheek.

There, in the window before him, was his eldest staring at him with her eyes large and red filled with empty malice. The image turned his stomach violently. His daughter combined with her innocence and what she did scared the holy hell out of him. Something about a twelve-year-old child with blossom pink hair, clear green eyes, and porcelain skin stained and practically dripping with blood was just so eerie and evil. He stumbled backwards as soon as she disappeared and breathe a sigh of relief. Hurriedly getting up and running back upstairs, Kizashi decided he was going to wake Mebuki and get her safely away from the village. As soon as his foot landed on the top floor, Mebuki's scream reverberated piercingly throughout the house with the sound of breaking glass following soon after. Startled and overflowing with dread, he raced into the bedroom to see Mebuki on the far left wall a foot off the floor unmoving as a large shard of glass hovered centimeters from her face. In the center of the room was Sakura, soiled from head to toe with blood and dirt smeared across her face and kimono. He was pretty sure he saw pieces of flesh on her as well.

Hearing his loud entrance, the child snapped her hatred-filled stare at her father as she also slammed him into wall beside the door with a wave of her left arm. And then it was nothing but silence, save for the sounds of crushing buildings outside.

He waited—waited for her to do something. _'Laugh! Cry! Scream!'_ he urged inwardly, not being able to stand the suspense any longer. '_Do something!'_

As if hearing his thoughts, she responded with a sneer, "Don't rush to your death so soon, _Otousan_"—otousan being said mockingly.

On the other side of the room, her mother sobbed at full volume, begging for her life. "Please! Sakura-chan! Don't do this!" she wailed. "We're your parents! Please!"

At the plea, hearing some of the same words she cried earlier, Sakura, in one swift movement, turned her murderous look back at the woman who called herself her mother. At the same time, thinking inwardly how she wanted her mother to suffer, Sakura broke her arm. The bone twisted in the wrong direction and broke so loudly, it echoed off the walls, drowning out the crackling of the fire outside. Followed by the sickening crunch of the bone which could be seen protruding out from the torn, jagged skin was her mother's howl of pain and agony.

Stepping towards the Haruno matriarch as pieces of the glass cracked with each step, Sakura narrowed her eyes at the woman like she was dirt. "Where were you when I begged?! Where were you when I was buried?! 'Don't do this'—that's the same thing I asked you!" She dropped her head; her hands were clenched so hard to keep from shaking so much that blood could be seen seeping through her fists. "You don't deserve to be called my _mother or father_!" she spat angrily as if the words left a nasty taste on her tongue. "Not _any_ of the people in this fucking village is allowed to die quickly."

Mebuki brought her cries down to hushed whimpers upon hearing the last sentence. "W-what are you g-going to do with us?" she asked in a scared whisper.

With a tilt of her head—pink strands clumped with blood covering her eyes, Sakura mentally thrust the large shard of glass into Mebuki's right shoulder so deep, it penetrated the wall. Ignoring Mebuki's second round of shrieking and begging, her right arm lifted as Sakura twisted her open hand to the right—the shard mimicking her movement, digging and tearing the muscles and tendons and ligaments. The child's head rose leisurely, revealing deranged eyes as she spoke softly, "I'm going to make sure to pay you back for everything you did."

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_Opening_

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The night continued on. Red and orange painted the night sky like blood, washing out any traces of stars. Screams and yells resonated deafening and endlessly into the empty woods, swallowed up in the darkness with no one the wiser…

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_Take Off_

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_Konoha City…_

The winds were howling loudly in Konoha City tonight as two boys were walking home late. The elder boy was seventeen years old with long black hair tied in a low ponytail with slightly tanned skin and black eyes. The young boy, the elder boy's sibling, had the same black hair and eyes, but his complexion was much paler and his hair much more unruly. There was a six year difference between them; however, the brothers were as so close as anyone and nothing could tear them apart. Though, the younger brother is much more shy than his older sibling, he is still willing to try things. Tonight, the older boy took his little brother out to have fun and relax from the stress their father has been putting on him; it had started off warm and then temperature suddenly dropped to near cool which concern the brothers as they strolled through the streets.

The younger boy abruptly stopped, feeling a chill down his neck as he turned to gaze up at the full moon. Something about the moon this evening sent shivers down his spine as he felt the light pull him in.

Noticing his little brother's behavior, the older boy stopped as well, concerned. "Sasuke, what's wrong?" he asked worriedly, thinking that the stress is causing him to act strange.

Shaking his head out of the stupor, Sasuke looked back at his brother, smiling reassuringly. "Nothing, Itachi-niisan," he responded slowly. "Just a feeling, that's all."

"Well, let's head back soon or Mother will throw a fit," Itachi said jokingly. Sasuke nodded, and went back to his big brother's side.

_'Still…I can't get rid of this feeling of unease…'_

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So I hope you liked it! I think I'm gonna enjoy writing this one. Btw, my little brother came up with the title. To him, the red room is the little dark corner of our minds that we don't really tread much, but in this case, Sakura's red room is extremely, extremely dark and scary and unpredictable.

On another note, I'm going to rewrite The White Rose because I feel like it got effed up somewhere along the way. I'm also thinking of rewriting an old story from my other account: Forget Me Not.

So I'm definitely going to keep going with this story (I'm really excited!), and I hope that you guys will follow the story as I update them and give me some support! Things are going to be traumatizing for Sakura and she'll have issues to jump over, but that's why we have Sasuke and Naruto!

Anyways, my life is getting along better these days, so I'm confident that I will get this story finished. You'll probably won't see me much when spring start since I'll be starting school then (I'll be going to school to be a legal drug dealer!). But in the meantime, since it's my semester off, there'll be more updates.

Please be kind and review. I would really love your opinions on this one!

Sincerely,

Hoozuki!


	2. Chapter II: Along The Way

**A/N:** Thanks for those who've reviewed! This chapter just got so long I had to split it in half! Enjoy!

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_Chapter II_

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_By: Hoozuki_

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_Along the Way_

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_"__I won't deny there's some big changes coming __down__ the __road__.__"—Rick Higgins_

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_Three Months Later…Tanigakure_

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"Sakura-chan!"

Quiet ringing and silence was the only reply.

"Sweetheart?"

The woman's voice rang stridently throughout the large mansion until it became still once more. The woman stood at the foot of her winding staircase worriedly. A butler came from the living room with a question in his eyes. She shook her head 'no' while giving a slight wave of her left hand to say, 'It's okay.'

The woman's name was Fujioka Akino, formerly Hakurei Akino, younger sister to Haruno Mebuki, and aunt of Haruno Sakura. She was in her mid-twenties with blonde hair and blue eyes. Akino took in her young and only niece after hearing about the accident in the village at Sound. She has been worried for Sakura ever since the child arrived two and a half months ago: whether she'll get along with the other children at her new school; living in a bigger city like Tani; or if she likes her aunt and her uncle. She has never had her own child, so she was absolutely happy to take in her orphaned niece; but she never realized how hard it would be to connect to a child who had lost her entire family in a single night.

Sighing dejectedly, Akino climbed the long flight of stairs until she reached the second floor. The couple lived in a three story mansion—she was a successful television journalist while her husband was a well-known CEO of Fujioka Corps. Though she was always gone most of the time, Akino tries to spend as much time with Sakura as she can. Taking a left turn and down the hall, passing three doors when she stopped in front of her niece's door on her right, Akino tentatively raised a closed hand to knock on the wood.

_ Knock!_

_ Knock!_

_ Knock!_

Of course, no reply was given. She could hardly get the twelve-year-old to talk about her likes and dislikes; what made her think Sakura would answer the door? Softly, she turned the shiny silver knob, opening the door cautiously. Peeking through the crack, blue eyes saw a clean pink room with nothing out of place. The only thing missing was her pink-haired ward. Letting out another breath, the young woman went to the third and last floor where she knew the child would be hiding out if she wasn't in her room. On the third floor was a large balcony in the lounge room; however, the only way to get to the balcony was to climb through the skylight. Upon entering the lounge room, she scanned across the large space for the twelve-year-old. Lo and behold, sure enough—the skylight was open and the ladder was pulled down. As soon as she managed to climb through the narrow opening, she whipped her head here and there to see if her niece was anywhere in sight.

_ 'Of course, she's not going to be anywhere I can spot her,'_ Akino grumbled inwardly, finally managing to get onto the roof. Steadying herself, Akino crawled up on the other side of the roof to see strands of pink hair flying. Sighing in relief, she made her way over to the child where all she saw was the girl's back, facing away from her.

"Did you need me, Akino-obasan?" came the quiet muffled question.

Akino halted halfway from patting the child's head, suddenly feeling anxious. She didn't know why, but she always felt intimidated by her niece's quiet demeanor. Withdrawing her hand, she resigned herself to sit beside the child. "No, not really," she answered lightly with a bright smile. "I just wanted to spend some time with my niece." Her blue eyes briefly glanced at the little girl's unmoving form, sensing that she didn't want to talk. Smiling sadly, Akino, all of a sudden, felt a wave of unhappiness she's been trying to keep in for weeks as she finally placed her hand gently on Sakura's arm.

In contrast, Sakura had narrowed her gaze to small slits at the unexpected contact. With gritted teeth and fisted hands, she suffered through the ordeal, getting the impression that her aunt needed the comfort. Though she tolerated it a bit, the abrupt contact surprised her since she made sure to never touch or let anyone touch her. Feeling the pat has lasted long enough, Sakura placed her hand over her aunt's to move it. Naturally mistaking it for prolonged touch, the woman gripped her hand with more force than necessary, causing the girl to wince.

"Akino-obasan…you're hurting my hand," the child managed to ground out before pulling her hand back swiftly.

The blonde blinked, slightly startled and embarrassed. "Ah, gomen ne, Sakura-chan," she apologized while wiping her tears. "It's just hard to know that I won't see my sister again. I'm sure you feel just as sad since your mother told me how close the two of you were." Because Akino was busy dabbing her eyes to keep from ruining her makeup, she didn't notice the deadly glare aimed her way.

Lowering her head to hide her anger behind a curtain of hair, Sakura parted her lips to murmur almost silently, "When did Okaasan say this?"

Stopping in the middle of her task, her aunt had to think back when the conversation happened. "Eto…I think a couple of days before the accident," she answered absentmindedly, completely oblivious to her niece's behavior. "Sakura-chan? Doushita no?"

Without answering, the child stood up promptly, gracefully walking back to the skylight with no trouble unlike her aunt. She avoided looking at her aunt's eyes; the resemblance to her mother was too much to bear, especially how kindly the woman treated her. It made her wonder why she wasn't born into this family instead. Although, she couldn't say the same thing for her uncle who was only home twice or thrice a month which she was completely fine with. If it was only just her aunt and herself, she would've been fine with the situation; but, that man was like the men in her village. She just never liked it when he was home.

Just as she was about to jump down, her aunt's voice stopped her. "Sakura-chan, I know I haven't been the greatest aunt, not visiting you and all," she said nervously. "But you'll tell me if something's bothering you, won't you? Like if I'm too annoying or if your uncle's being mean?"

For a long moment, Sakura didn't react, debating whether the woman was being sincere or not. Then, without a word, she went back to kneel before the woman (it felt like Akino was staring at her older sister with those similar bright green eyes). The child, for the first time, initiated contact by placing her right hand over her aunt's heart. Pushing past the normal sounds of heart beats, Sakura concentrated on reading her heart's desire. By doing this, she could tell what the person was hiding and if their intentions were pure or not. Feeling no malice in her heart, Sakura slid her hand up to cup the woman's face while moving so that her lips were by her ears.

"Akino-obasan," she started, feeling the woman tense up. "You are the kindest person I've met…demo, there are some things that need to be kept in the dark or they'll destroy you."

The blonde's brows furrowed in trepidation, her words repeating in her head like a broken record. "Sakura-chan—" she was stopped when her niece's hand moved to the back of her head, keeping her in place.

"Onegai…_onegai…_don't come out of your room tonight," she pleaded, her voice coming out in a tiny whisper. "Whatever you hear, please, just stay in bed." And then there was only the whistling wind whipping around them.

Akino tried to turn her head to look at the girl's expression, but she had a firm grip on her. What Sakura told her had left her anxious and alarmed. _'I mean, how am I supposed to respond to something like that__?'_ she thought with exasperation. After what seemed like ages as Akino wrestled with her thoughts, the child finally let go and disappeared down the skylight, leaving her aunt to contemplate her message.

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As soon as Sakura dropped from the opening, she whipped around, sensing someone behind her with a sinister aura. Out of instincts, her powers seeped out, and picked up a letter opener on a nearby table behind the person to strike. Once seeing and realizing who it was, she stopped the letter opener from going through the person's neck. She narrowed her eyes, her cautious demeanor returning as she burned holes into the man's skull.

Seeming not to sense her disgust towards him or the letter opener currently drifting in the air behind his neck, the man—a handsome brunette with brown eyes—uncrossed his arms with an amicable smile. He took two big steps and was in front of her, placing his hand underneath her chin to raise her gaze.

"How has my favorite niece been since I last saw you?" he asked smoothly, his voice pleasant and sweet enough to make candies melt. When he received no reaction from the girl, his head tilted upwards to the open skylight, and looked back down to see her eyes shifted elsewhere. Her uncle had leaned down to put his lips by her ear just as she had done to her aunt earlier—although, instead of feeling pity, Sakura wanted to rip the man's intestines out for the revulsion he always made her feel. He smirked, knowing she'd stiffen at his proximity to her. "I hope you've been behaving yourself while I was away. I wouldn't want you to hurt my wife now."

Green eyes were covered by tightly clenched lids while hands turned into hardened fists. In her current situation, Sakura know she couldn't utter a word of rebellion. If she did, all her work of keeping the village incident a secret would go to waste. Opening her eyes to glare at the man called her uncle again, Sakura resigned herself to his tortures in order to keep her aunt happily unaware of the situation. Her teeth then grinded loudly, seeing his smug grin. _'Calm down,'_ she urged herself. _'Now is not the time.'_ The letter opener at that moment lowered back on the table from where it came.

Lifting a brow at her angry expression, her uncle let out an even wider smile. "Unless you _want _me to tell her who really killed her beloved sister?" he questioned innocently.

Hatred flashed across her green orbs as she wrenched her face free of his grip, and stomped away. As he followed her small, disappearing figure, his tongue came from its place to moisten his suddenly dry lips. A moment later, Akino could be heard grunting when trying to climb back down from the skylight. Watching her struggle, he went over to assist his wife until she was on the floor, and pulled the latch close.

Whipping around, Akino lifted her brows in surprise. "Arai! When did you return?" she inquired, not expecting him to be home until late tonight.

Arai gave his wife a quick peck on the lips, smiling brightly. "I wanted to surprise you and Sakura," he replied, taking her hand in his, leading them back down to the main floor.

Upon hearing her niece's name, Akino's face contorted to one of worry and anxiety. "I'm concerned for Sakura-chan," she told her husband, looking up at him. "Has she talked to you about anything?"

Arai shook his head 'no.' "She doesn't really talk to me much." The two stopped by the kitchen; Akino kissed her husband, and went on to make dinner with Sakura's words still ringing in her ears.

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Dinner was rather quiet and uneventful as the Haruno child quickly ate and went back upstairs. Akino sighed, washing the dishes since the maids and butler went home for the night. Absentmindedly, she had been scrubbing the same spot for ten minutes without realizing it while she tried to decipher the meaning of her niece's cryptic message. _'Don't come out of my room whatever I hear tonight…'_ she repeated in her mind over and over. Even when she was done with the chores, went to bed, and laid there staring at the ceiling, the phrase reiterated itself nonstop. _'What did she mean?!'_

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_On This Path_

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It was around ten when Sakura had locked the door to her bedroom, and jammed the doorknob with the back of her desk chair. After making sure it was secure, Sakura quickly grabbed her backpack and duffle bag from the closet, and started loaded thing like extra clothes, undergarments, and toiletry. In her backpack, she carefully took a vase—which she had the lid taped down securely, so the contents inside wouldn't spill—off the bookshelf across the room and placed it gingerly at the bottom of the sack stuffed with more clothing to cushion it. Then, going back to her closet, Sakura bent to the second to last drawer—pulling it out quietly and slowly—and took out the socks and lifted the false bottom where a small stack of large bills of cash sat in the far left corner. Then money came from her parents' stash before she abandoned the village. Once everything she needed was jammed into the two bags, Sakura changed into warm clothes suitable for easy traveling and wore tennis shoes that made it easier to walk and run.

Taking a deep breath, Sakura stood by the open doors of the balcony and stared back into the room she spent living in the past two and a half months. The pink floral wallpapers, the lace curtains, the ruffled bed skirts, and the tulle canopy: Sakura already knew whose room this was meant for and pitied her aunt. The room was made for a child lost before it even had the chance to breathe. Akino had a still birth, losing her baby at seven months. So when she had the excuse to finally use her baby room, Akino was more than ecstatic to see someone occupy the space. Letting out another sympathetic sigh, Sakura jumped down from the balcony and began making her way to the gates in front, and finally off the Fujioka residence.

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_On the Right Track_

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Akino suddenly woke up in a sweat, her stomach churning uncomfortably. Seeking immediate comfort, the blonde turned to her right, feeling for her husband only to find a coldness that should've been warmth. She looked around frowning, and saw a crack in the doorway.

_"Whatever you hear, please…don't come out!"_

Her body gave a jolt as her hands gripped the comforter strongly when the words practically raised alarms through her head. Her eyes went back to where her husband was supposed to be. She bit her bottom lip in uneasiness. It's not like she didn't trust him, but she had a feeling that he was the cause of Sakura's strange behavior. Resolutely, Akino quietly placed her feet on the wooden floor, swallowing the lump in the throat while making her way to the slightly opened door. She prayed that her gut was lying to her, and it was just her mind screwing with her when she peeked out the door. What she saw made her insides froze and her fingers twitched on the door knob. Her husband was trying to get into Sakura's room, cursing as he did so. Finally, he gave up and was headed to their bedroom. Akino panicked considerably, wondering what she should do. Then, at the last minute, she opened the door, stepping out in the dimly lit hallway.

Aria stopped in his tracks, shock clearly evident on his face. His surprise was quickly replaced with a frown, though. "Akino, what are you doing up?"

"I thought I heard something," she responded sleepily, watching as he looked visibly relieved. "Anything wrong?"

"Just went to my office to check on some paperwork I forgot."

"Oh…sou ka."

Aria lifted a brow. "Are you okay?"

"Un…just tired is all," she replied quickly, then feigned a yawn. "Coming?"

Her husband shook his head. "I just have to take care of more paperwork," Arai stated, turning back to stare at the girl's door, and then looked back at his wife with a small smile. "Just go back to bed, sweetheart; I'll be there as soon as I'm done."

The woman nodded, watching the brunette walk off in the direction of his office. She went back inside their bedroom, sitting numbly on the mattress. What was she supposed to do now? How was she supposed to stop him from hurting her niece? Akino let out a frustrated groan into her hands.

_Bam!_

Looking through her fingers, a blonde brow lifted in curiosity at the sound of a shutting door. She waited for a moment to hear any more sounds, but none came. It was silent again—nothing followed the slamming door, causing her suspicions to rise. Getting up from the bed, she swiftly went over to the large window on the other side of the room just in time to see her husband disappearing into the woods surrounding their land. Her heart sank; running to Sakura's room, Akino shook the doorknob finding it locked. Crying out in frustration, she ran back to get the key to the room, successfully unlocking it until she went to open it and it wouldn't budge. With determination and adrenaline driving her, Akino slammed into the door until the knob broke off. Instantly, she was greeted by the frigid cold air as she stared at the open balcony doors. _'Sakura!'_

_._

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On the Way

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_ Konoha City…Midnight…_

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_ Creak!_

Sasuke woke up to the sound of the wooden floors creaking outside his bedroom and sat up quickly. Two months of training in, and he was already aware of his surroundings; not that he wasn't before he chose to go to the Academy for shinobi and kunoichi instead of a civilian school. Getting up from his bed, he softly made his way over to his door, opening it in time to see his older brother trying to sneak into his own room. But the older boy stopped half way when he noticed his younger sibling.

"Can't sleep Sasuke?" Itachi asked, walking into Sasuke's room.

The twelve-year-old shook his head, dropping down on his bed with a _plop! _"Not really—I'm anxious for my test tomorrow," he answered as an arm draped over his eyes. "You? You're home pretty late; work stressing you out?"

"You can say that…"

The boy looked at his older with a fine brow lifted.

Itachi sighed. "Kakashi-san and I were sent to investigate a village disappearance, trying to find something—anything—on it…but we got nothing," he explained. He leaned on the door frame while rubbing his temples to get rid of the ache there. His dark eyes opened to stare at the same pair of eyes as his. His little brother was sitting on the edge of his bed, now interested. Itachi chuckled quietly at his brother's behavior as he moved to sit beside him. Placing a hand on his head affectionately, he asked, "Sasuke, why did you join the Academy instead of going to a regular school?"

A brow rose at the inquiry. "Because I wanted to be a shinobi like you," Sasuke answered like it was obvious, and then added, "Besides, civilian schools don't teach you how to defend yourself as well."

"Not because of Otousan?"

"No," he answered quickly. Then added, "Now tell me what else happened while you were away."

The eighteen-year-old nodded idly. "Hai, hai," he said casually, but dropped his gaze to the ground, suddenly serious. "The people outside the village said the disappearance happened three months ago, but…"

Sasuke leaned forward in curiosity. "But?"

Obsidian orbs narrowed. "But…there was no sign whatsoever that the village even existed. It seems as if it was just…erased."

"You said three months ago right?" the younger Uchiha asked thoughtfully while Itachi nodded. Sasuke looked at his brother with that same look of restlessness that the older sibling recognized that night. "It happened the night I had that strange feeling. What do you think is going on, Nii-san?"

Itachi took in a lungful of air, exhaling it completely a moment later. "I'm not sure, but I know it has something to do with that village."

_._

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Down the Road  
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Sakura groaned, feeling groggy and a numbness throughout her body. Her head was swimming nauseatingly; and as she tried to take in the surroundings, the entire room just seemed to spin. Groaning again, the child closed her eyes firmly, attempting to acclimate herself and remember what had happened. It was a few seconds later when everything came rushing back.

_Flashback…_

'Shimatta!'_ she swore inwardly when a branch swung back in her face, cutting and leaving a mark on her cheek. Tenderly, she touched the cut and hiss at the stinging sensation. Bringing her attention back to the task at hand, Sakura glared at the black silhouettes of the trees before her, trying to figure out which way to go. She closed her eyes a moment before moving forward with a string of profanities. She cursed her aunt for living so far in the woods and away from society. _'Damn privacy! This is how people get killed!'

_Snap!_

_ She paused in the middle of stepping over a fallen tree and listened to the leaves. The woods were suddenly quiet: no crickets, no skittering of night animals, no sounds whatsoever. Pink brows furrowed cautiously, not liking the sudden tense atmosphere. Shifting carefully, she quickly hid in a large bush while pulling out a hunting knife she had taken from the workshop behind the house a few days ago. _'Did he already realize it?'_ Her eyes narrowed at the thought, and had no doubt that he was probably on the way to find her. He always came at the right time to 'check on her.' She clicked her tongue in irritation and bitterness. Eyes darted left to right several times in suspicion. Slowly, the twelve-year-old backed out of the bush, wary to not make even a single crunch._

_ Ba-bum!_

_ Sakura stiffen suddenly even though her mind screamed for her body to run. Her green eyes widen; the hairs on the back of her neck stood high; her hand gripped the wooden handle of the blade tightly as her legs barely held her up from such uncontrollable shaking. Rigidly, she turned around swallowing the saliva down her throat with much difficulty. Almost instantly, blood drained from her face at the same time she let out a stifled gasp._

_ A pair of wide eyes was staring back at her sinisterly. It wasn't the fact that someone was staring at her that scared her, no. It was because the eyes were so wide with sick intentions that all she saw was the whites of his eyes paired with a slow growing thin smile. Then, as if slapped awake, her legs were suddenly full of energy and her hands have regained feeling back into them. Adrenaline coursed through her as the child swiftly swung her right hand, cutting his arm. The result was him crying out in pain to which she smirked at with the sight of blood. And while he was distracted, Sakura threw a quick kick to his testicles, making him crumble to the ground._

_ Run!_

_ Dropping her duffle bag, she burst forth for her original destination: the highway. If she could reach the highway, there's no way he could get to her—not with every person on the road witnessing. Her heart was racing even more quickly; her ears picking up the sound of her uncle grunting as he ran after her. She grinded her teeth in nervous desperation, willing her legs to go faster. _

_ "You can't get away from me!" he yelled after her. "Get back here, you little bitch!"_

_ The girl shook her head, not wanting to go back to that hellhole. _'Come on! Faster!'_ Her legs pushed and pushed until she finally saw patches of light through the trees and bushes. Green eyes lit up with hope at the sight and there was newfound determination to escape. Sakura raced the last few feet and breathe a sigh of relief when she saw headlights and heard the sounds of cars zooming past. Just as she was about to cross the threshold, a hand darted out and wrapped itself around her face to keep her from screaming. Another hand snaked its way around her waist, dragging her back into darkness. She thrashed all-around violently—anything to get out of his grip. She could smell the chloroform; and tried not to inhale, but slowly she lost consciousness._

_End of Flashback…_

Tiny hands tightened into hard fists once her memory came back. Taking a deep breath, green eyes gaze around the room, seeing nothing but darkness. Hearing nothing, Sakura went to move only to find that her hands and feet were bound. _'Shit!'_ she swore silently, realizing what position she was in: she was lying on face down with her hands chained together above her head to the head board while each foot was chained separately to a bed post at the end of the bed. Panicking, she began yanking on her restraints, tears falling down her cheeks and perspiration forming on her forehead. Amidst her struggle, the door opened letting in enough light to reveal her uncle with a gag in his hand. Eyes darted to his face, petrified. He smiled amicably which scared her even more.

"Hello, Sakura-chan…"

* * *

**A/N: **I'm sorry for the cliffy. I just had to do it! Anyways, this gives you a bit of her personality after the incident as well a tidbit with Itachi and Sasuke. Next chapter will be another time skip which will also focus more on what been going on on Itachi and Sasuke's end.

**Doushita no - what's wrong?**

**Shimatta - damn it**

*****ALSO! **To make things interesting, I just want to see if we could reach 30 reviews by the time I'm done with the next chapter which will only take me two weeks. If we do, of course, I'll update; but if we don't reach 30, I'll wait until we do because it's always fun to make you guys wait! lol And then we'll double the reviews from there! HAHA! I might draw out scenes from the chapter if you guys are good!***

**ANYWHO! I'd like to thanks these readers for reviewing (DO YOU GUYS THINK I SHOULD THE SUMMARY TO MAKE IT MORE INTERESTING?)**

**Zoe  
WildFlamez01  
anonymous  
ILOVESxS  
janisaur  
.CHoMP (for the life of me it won't let me type out your whole name!)  
**

Anyways, thank you for your support and for reading this. I'm definitely having fun writing horror and I hope you enjoy it as well! See you in two weeks hopefully! Hehe

Sincerely,

Hoozuki!


	3. Chapter III: A Mere Shadow

Disclaimer: -sighs-

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_Chapter III_

_By: Hoozuki_  
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_A Mere Shadow_

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_"Because everything we say and do is the length and shadow of our own souls, our influence is determined by the quality of our being."-Dale E Turner_

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_Click!_

Sakura could only watch as her uncle close the door, locking it thoroughly. While he was occupied, she tried to break the chains, but it wouldn't budge. Her eyes widen in shock. She couldn't move anything; she couldn't feel her chakra flowing at all. _'Shit! Shit! Shit!'_ she cursed, futilely pulling on the chains. In the middle of effort, a deep and low laughter cut through her thoughts like a cold wind. The child stopped—watching as he dumped her belongings carelessly on the floor. Sakura winced, hoping the vase didn't break. When he turned around with that same fake smile on his face, she narrowed her eyes determined to wipe it off his face. A glint from the moonlight caught her attention; Arai had in his hand the hunting knife she had taken.

"You know…" he trailed off nonchalantly, using the edge of the blade to get the dirt from underneath his nails. "You're very hard to find; you hide your tracks well."

When she didn't say a word in response, Arai looked up to see her glowering at him, and grinned in satisfaction at her. He deliberately took his time walking over to the bed he chained her to. Sitting on the edge of the bed on her right side, the brunette let his eyes roam all over her body, excitement coursing through him as he pulled back her pink locks to see those bright fury-filled eyes. The child growled at his touch; but he simply ignored it, and went on to push her shirt up. On her small back, he could see the thin and thick marks of whipping and slashing that were years old. When he allowed his fingers to trace the lines, the girl jumped at the contact, shaking in trepidation. He smiled lightly at this, expecting this kind of reaction. During their brief months together, Arai had only explored her body—nothing really all that invasive in his opinion; but tonight, he'll get to mark her body as well. He could tell she was developing well—her curves slowly defining themselves. The man leaned down to place a kiss at the small of the child's back while his ears picked up on the sound of her snarl and the chains clanking. His hand moved alongside her ribcage, going beneath her body to push her tiny bra out of the way, and cup the small mound there.

"Don't touch me, you bastard!" Sakura cried out violently, unsuccessfully keeping in her small weeps when he continued to violate her.

Her uncle chuckled flippantly at her protest. He grabbed the cloth he was holding earlier and tied it around her mouth tightly. Once secured, he leaned down to her face, his breath fanning over her ear and neck. "Just so you know: the reason why you can't use your powers on me is because of the blood seals I've placed throughout the room," he murmured sadistically, pleased with her stiffened form. He breathed in her scent deeply; it was intoxicating that he almost couldn't control himself, but he pressed on. "It's funny; when Akino told me what happened, I decided to do some research on her family. I thought, 'There's no way a whole village can disappear like that; it's just too much work for a child to handle.'" He had been circling the bed like a predator taunting its prey while playing with his knife. Abruptly, he stopped to give a dramatic effect on his next words. "I had actually received an anonymous phone call not too long ago; a man telling me of your powers"—Sakura's eyes widen a fraction in surprise—"Of course, I didn't believe him…at first. But then one night I was home, I saw you break a glass cup in a fit; I realized that that's how you did it. You used your powers to make the villagers disappear. When I discovered your secret, I found seals and rituals to keep you from using them on me—"

_ Slash!_

"Aaah!" she yelled through the gag as the blade cut through her flesh. Sakura could feel the wound burn painfully and let out another choked scream when an additional slice ran through along the left side of her ribs. Her fists were losing feeling, the gag in her mouth getting damper from the tears soaking them. She wished over and over for the pain and agony to go away. _'Please just let this end…'_

"Cry all you want, Sakura-chan," her uncle teased maliciously. "No one can hear out here!" Again and again, the child could feel the man score her entire body with painful cuts: on her face, her arms, her back, and her legs. Brown eyes shined in pleasure while watching the blade slide across the skin of her inner thighs. He knew the pain there was immense due from her thrashing and long wail. Once her tiny body was covered in cuts, Arai started trailing kisses and bites—licking the blood here and there. He eventually had to move to sit on top of her to keep her from moving so much. His gaze gleamed in feral arousal; seeing her so defenseless beneath him gave him such a strong sense of dominance. As he was unable to resist touching her any longer, his hand slipped into her panties.

"Mmmm…"he groaned in pleasure at the feeling of her flesh against his palm. Without word, he shoved his fingers into her opening.

_0_

By this time, Sakura was sobbing uncontrollably. It just hurt too much. She felt horrible and disgusted. She could feel vomit in her mouth, and gagged even more. Her young and inexperienced body could feel the abuse it was taking. The walls of her sex was screaming in protest as he added another finger, curling them so agonizingly that she could feel his fingernails tearing the flesh. Instinctively, Sakura tried to close her legs only to have the shackles dig into her bleeding skin. The fact that this was the second time this happened didn't make the situation any easier to deal with. Everything just felt like déjà vu. Every fiber in her being screamed, yelled, bawled at the intrusion, but the child just couldn't do anything to stop it.

"Aaah! Ungh!"

The twelve year old tried to pull again; however, all she did was make the restraints cut even deeper, her blood staining the sheets. She'd take that over any sexual molestation to her body. Noticing the man removing his hand from her pants, Sakura relaxed a bit—however short the moment was. Although, the break was short-lived when her pants were removed. Craning her neck down to see beneath her arms, scared sea green pools enlarged at the sight of a disgusting erect penis. Almost instantaneously, her mind begged for her powers to break the chains, to make the knife stab him—anything to make him get off of her. _Anything_ but have him rape her.

_"No, no please! No! NOOOOO!" _her voice muffled through the gag as she let out a piercingly loud shriek, feeling her walls tear sharply of his penis forcing its way in her. _'Somebody help me, please! NOOO!'_

_0_

The tears running down her face were now gradually growing redder and redder, her mind going blank. She didn't want to feel anymore—didn't want to feel her body break as it rocked up and down the mattress. She didn't want to hear his grunting or his flesh against her as he fucked her ruthlessly. She didn't want to see his face dripping with sweat, brows furrowed. She just…didn't want anything from this world anymore…and with that, Sakura let her mind go and fell into darkness…

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_Darkness_

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_Drip…_

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_ Drip…_

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_ Drip…_

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_ Drip…_

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_ Drip…_

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_ That sound…the sound of fluid hitting a hard surface one after another for a long time is…really irritating. Especially when the drips start to slow down; it'll slow down enough to make one think that it was the last drop until another immediately follows after. It was even more annoying when one was trying to fall asleep. This was what Sakura was feeling at the moment. She felt irritation bubbling up inside her chest as she tried to drown the sound out by covering her ears. _

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_ Drip…_

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_ The pink-haired child pushed her eyelids down tighter, turning into the corner of the wall with hands clamping even more firmly over her ears. Her teeth grinded together harshly as the thought, 'Just ignore it. Just ignore it!' played itself repeatedly in her aching head._

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_ Drip…_

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_ Drip!_

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_ The girl waited for the last drip to come, but it never came. Warily, small hands removed themselves from her head, listening to the sudden quietness. There was nothing. Absolutely nothing. There wasn't even the ringing she was used to. It was uncomfortable. After a minute of waiting and listening, she relaxed into herself, leaning into the wall corner._

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_ DROP!_

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_ Her eyes snapped open at the sound of the heavier drip sound with confusion. Then, right after the large Drop!, her ears picked up on the _pit-pat_ of bare footsteps entering the unseen door to her room. She doesn't even know what the room looks like. Ever since she came here, Sakura kept her eyes shut, not wanting to see anymore. All she wanted to do was to go to sleep, but it doesn't look like that'll happen anytime soon. While Sakura argued with her thoughts, she didn't notice the footsteps had ceased and that the room was quiet again. Her body suddenly shivered. It was at that time when her heart skipped a beat that Sakura heard the dripping sounds again._

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_ Drip…_

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_ The droplets sounded closer this time. The room went a few degrees cooler, making goose bumps rise on her skin. There was yet another chill down her spine when Sakura decided to finally turn around. Her mouth went dry and all the color drained from her already pale face. Standing in front of her curled form, dripping and stained with blood was herself! She could only gawk numbly at the girl, amazed at how similar they looked. Everything was the same except for minor details like her eyes and smile. Her smile was a lopsided deranged grin—the fact that there was blood dribbling down her chin didn't help. But it was her eyes that shocked her the most. They were an astonishing blood red—so vivid and brilliant, a starch contrast to her own translucent green ones. That was when she also became aware of how red and dim her room was. It was just a big space with one door, no window, and a single red bulb hanging in the center._

_ Looking back at the girl, Sakura tentatively asked, "K-koko doko?"_

_ The lookalike smiled softly at Sakura, kneeling at eye level. __**"Koko wa Akai Heya,"**__ she answered enthusiastically. __**"Irrashai!"**_

_ A pink brow lifted at the dramatic answer; but emerald eyes averted the eye contact, not liking the blood which seems to continue to flow down from her eyes. "The Red Room…what is that? Who're you?"_

_ The bloodied girl's red orbs lit up at the inquiry obviously excited to answer. She took a deep breath, stood up abruptly, throwing her arms out in a dramatic fashion—the movement causing blood to splatter the walls. __**"The Red Room is where I—your inner or dark personality, call me whatever you want—reside!" **__she practically shouted in glee, not noticing her Outer's wince. __**"I am all your true emotions that you keep locked up! When you go into an emotional state—a state in which you can't handle such strong feelings—I take over so you don't have to deal with it."**__ Inner Sakura let out a childish giggle, twirling in place. _

_ Sakura looked at her like she was crazy. "So…in other words?"_

_ Inner Sakura rapidly invaded Sakura's personal space by shoving her face close to her own. Actually, it was, in fact, too close for the girl's liking as she backed deeper into her corner. Involuntarily, her body flinched when a bloody hand laid itself on her face leaving trails of the ruby liquid while deep red eyes gazed darkly at her, her bloody lips curling into a devilishly smile._

_**"I'm your killing urge,"**__ she finished, the bloody hand moving to brush across Sakura's lips._

_ "So when I get angry—"_

_**"Or when something threatens your life,"**__ Inner cut off, whispering so closely, __**"Your powers will leak and I'll take over. But that's not all."**__ Inner Sakura rolled her eyes back up to her Outer self's green ones which were still confused. Sighing, she slid her hand down to hover over her sternum, tracing the flesh there. __**"Because you have the blood of a Hakurei flowing through you, you'll experience even more troubles from here."**_

_ Pink brows furrow deeper. "What could be worse than what's going on out there?" Sakura questioned incredulously._

_ Instead of answering her directly, Inner moved so that her lips touching the spot behind her ear, smiling at Sakura's tenseness. __**"Demons and spirits eating you alive," **__she answered, her lips brushing softly. __**"The blood in your veins will attract them because you'll be able to see them. And when you see them…"**__ she paused, her eyes growing darker as she listened to Sakura's heavy breathing. She noted that her outer was finally letting the information sink in. __**"…they'll be able to see you."**_

_ Sakura seemed to have lost the ability to breathe when the new information was processing in her head. She knew that there were such things as demons, but she never thought that they'd want anything to do with her. _'But I suppose that would be foolish to think,'_ she thought, remembering seeing a demon in her backyard as a child, waiting for her outside. She was so scared she never left. Though, the other piece of information about her emotions seems true as well. Thinking back on that, too, she knew everything made sense. If she didn't learn to control her emotions—Sakura shifted to stare at the girl beside her—'She would take over anytime she wanted…'_

_ Before she could continue her thoughts, however, she was interrupted by Inner Sakura's low chuckle. She fixed her eyes on her lookalike's face, wondering if that was how her face looked when she was in rage._

_ Inner leaned back to angle her face down to Sakura's lips. __**"Of course, right now you're being used like a novelty sex toy, and I'm trapped due to that perverted bastard's seal,"**__ she murmured softly. __**"I can take care of him for you, Sakura,"**__—this caught her attention__**—"Just say yes and I'll do it…just for you. You won't even remember anything."**_

_ She blinked several times in bewilderment. "…Yes?" she asked guardedly, not liking where this was going._

_ The smirk widened. __**"Let me take over completely and I'll get rid of Arai for you,"**__ the girl stated until she noticed her outer personality hesitate. __**"Unless you want him to continue raping you like that."**_

_ Sakura seemed to ponder over this. "But why ask for my permission now? You had no problem before."_

_**"Well, I'd thought it be polite to ask this time,"**__ was the answer which was followed by a giggle._

_ If Sakura let her Inner self take over her body, she'll get rid of Arai; but, at the cost of her mind and body. The thing that worried her more though is if she'll actually give her back control of her body or will Inner Sakura make her disappear? Looking back at her darker personality who was waiting patiently, though she could see that patience wearing thin, the child sighed heavily._

_ "If I let you take over," she started, "You have to promise to return after you're done. I want full control of my body once you're back in this room."_

_ Inner smiled. __**"Of course."**_

_ Sakura could practically hear the laughter in that phrase._

_ "No, promise me you'd give me back my body."_

_ Inner Sakura rolled her eyes and then smoothly lifted Outer Sakura's chin. __**"You have my word," **__she whispered._

_ "So wha—"_

_ Sakura was instantly cut off, stunned into silence at what was happening. She could only watch as her Inner closed the distance between them, placing a kiss onto her own lips. It was in all honesty the weirdest and strangest thing ever. After a moment's time, Inner Sakura finally pulled away with a playful grin._

_**"I'll see you soon…"**_

_0_

Suddenly, she was back in the dark black room instead. Drowsy, she looked around the room, noticing the door frame was splintered and an ax protruding from the wooden floor. It was then she heard a strangled gasp and saw two figures wrestling around. Her mind clicked in comprehension. _'Akino-obasan!' _she thought anxiously. She wanted to move to help, but had no way or energy to do so. Once again, Sakura took notice of the moonlight shining on the wooden floor. There were strange circles and symbols smeared in what looked like blood. _'Seals?'_

_**'Don't worry, Sakura-chan! Go to sleep.'**_ She heard the voice echo in her head. _**'I'll take care of everything.'**_

Feeling extremely exhausted, Sakura did just that.

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_Gloom_

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_20 minutes earlier…_

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_ …_

Akino had been searching for Sakura and Arai for a good hour now, but she didn't have any luck at finding either. She was sick with worry and tired from the lack of sleep, making her unaware of the things around her. She was pretty sure that she was lost. The woods surrounding her house was fairly large and only Arai comes out here. Unexpectedly, the woman stopped when something dawned on her. _'Arai has a cabin in these woods!' _she thought, cursing her stupidity. _'But how do I find it?'_

It was at thatinstant she heard a faint cry. Quickly the blonde followed the continuous cries until it led her to the cabin. The building was rather old, the wood turned black from age and weather. It was small and modest with one door and a window to the left of it which was broken at the top right corner. She couldn't see anything due to the moon's faint light; but, she could hear someone moving inside accompanied with the sound of moaning and sobbing. As silently as she could, Akino made her way carefully to the cabin side. Once there, she crept along the wall in the shadows, noticing the ax. She picked it up just for safety, and peeked up through the window to see what was going on. What she saw made her stomach tighten in disgust as Akino had to cover her mouth and bite down on her lip to keep from making any noise. She almost wanted to break down after seeing what her husband was doing to their niece. But, she has to keep strong if she wanted to get Sakura out of here. After she calmed down, Akino took a deep breath, and stood back up to see if she could get Sakura's attention. Bringing her gaze to her niece's face, blonde brows furrowed together, catching something strange in the child's eyes. It was as clear as day. She could see the outer rims of Sakura's eyes slowly turn blood red; the color all converging to the pupil, sucking out the green while leaving trails of crimson down her cheeks. The blonde, after so much restraint, let one tear slip after seeing the life leave the twelve-year-old's eyes.

Having had enough of everything she had seen so far, without thinking, Akino went to the door with the ax in hand and started chopping down the door, alerting the inhabitants inside. She could hear her husband swearing loudly on the other side, panic evident in his tone. But she didn't care as long as she got the child away from the monster.

_Crack!_

_ Crack!_

_ Crack!_

The door broke into splinters of wood, littering the floor. The woman pushed her way through, prepared to strike down her husband; but when she entered, no one was there except for Sakura with nothing but a shirt on her body. Blue eyes scanned the area cautiously before she made her way over to her niece, raising the ax to break the chains around the little ankles. Just as she brought the ax down, she was suddenly tackled to the ground, the blade of the ax embedding itself into the floor. Akino rolled over hastily to avoid the incoming stab while smearing the seals on the ground.

"Arai, stop!" she yelled with panic, hands covering her face.

The brunette stopped, taken aback by the sound of his wife's voice. "A-Akino…what are you doing here?" he stuttered, not really wanting to kill her.

Large droplets of salt streamed from her blue eyes. "Please don't do this," her voice quivered as she begged him. "This is Sakura-chan!"

"Keh! You wouldn't be saying that if you knew who killed your sister!"

"N-nani?"

The man kneeled in front of his young wife. "Sakura killed Mebuki, Akino. We can't let her live."

The woman didn't expect to hear this. Her gaze turned back to the child who was still silently crying, blood coating her small body. Akino turned back to see her husband extending his hand to her, telling her to go with him. But she knew. She knew that she just couldn't abandon her niece no matter what she did.

So with that thought, Akino quickly threw all her weight onto the man, throwing him off guard. Not experienced with fighting, the blonde did everything she could to incapacitate him: scratching him with her nails, pulling his hair, using her knees to hit him in the gut. Of course, her husband naturally overpowered her as her head snapped in the other direction from his fist connecting to her face. The pain hurt like hell—it felt like he had dislocated her jaw as the ache spread across her cheeks. Then she felt another excruciating blow to her stomach. Her body was propelled backwards across the room, her weight breaking the handle of the ax as the she landed with a hard crash against the chair by the door. Instinctively, Akino tried to scramble away when her husband came raging at her with the knife glinting threateningly.

"Aah!"

Arai grabbed her ankles tightly, preventing the blonde from escaping and climbed over her. Akino could only raise her arms defensively as he began to beat her mercilessly. While grinding her teeth, his hard blow to her face made her bite down on her tongue and cheek, letting out a spray of blood on his face. In the midst of his attacks, Akino briefly wondered what went wrong with thousand of possibilities running through her head. Of course, she knew they had problems after their daughter was lost and she was deemed unable to have children. Even as her left eye was swollen shut, even as she could feel her ribs break, even as he choked the life out of her…no matter how much she loved him, she couldn't forgive him for what he did.

Weakly, her hand grabbed the hand gripping her throat, trying to pry it off her. The lack of air was burning her, her vision was dimming. She could barely discern him raising the blade to stab her. Then she felt it. She felt the sharp rip of her skin as the cool metal went deeper and deeper into her stomach. The knife was gone, but the throb remained and was excruciating. Her glazed over eyes saw that he was going for another thrust. She closed them, not wanting to see his smile anymore and waited for the blow to come down.

_Crash!_

The sound caused for the blonde to reopen her lids and saw that Arai was sprawled on the other side of the room, groaning. She was confused. How did he end up over there? She twisted her head slowly, the single blue eye barely widen when she saw her niece free of her restraints. She was standing with the right arm extended. The girl had her back to her so she couldn't see her face and noticed her shirt hardly covered the bottom of her buttock. She could feel the knot in her chest tighten more when she saw the blood running from between her legs.

"S-Sakura-chan…" Akino managed to squeeze out despite the burn, catching the child's attention.

Upon hearing her voice, Akino watched Sakura drop her arm yet still having a hold on Arai as she turned to face her. Automatically, she knew something about her niece was off. Maybe it was all of the crimson stains on her figure; or the way she smiled which gave her chills; or the fact that her eyes were no longer green but red. Maybe it was all three, but she, all of a sudden, felt scared and the need to run was very strong.

The smile grew wider when the ruby orbs connect with hers. "Thank you for breaking the seals," she said in Sakura's voice, slightly teasing while flexing her fingers. "They were really hindering my powers."

Akino had a bad feeling about this. "W-Where's Sakura?!"

Her forehead was lifted as brows pushed up in mocked amazement. "Ho~! You knew I wasn't Sakura, huh?" she said with boredom. "Though, I'm not surprised since you carry the Hakurei bloodline as well."

Akino gave her a look of puzzlement, but was ignored. The girl turned back to her new victim who still seemed to be unable to move. She kneeled in front of Arai, a bloody hand trailing his jaw line, chuckling in amusement when he growled in response to intimidate her.

"What, you don't like being taken advantage of?" 'Sakura' asked innocently, standing up. "As I recall, you took advantage of Sakura every night—I mean, come on! You just fucked the hell outta that girl! Haha!" When she lifted her hand, his body followed. And when she clenched her hand into a fist, Arai gave a sharp gasp, blood being coughed up. "You know…the human mind is the most dangerous thing. Who know what creative things it'll come up with? I mean, I came into being because of fools like you torturing children. And right now…I'm imagining your organs being torn to shreds like paper. Can you feel them ripping?"

The blonde followed her niece's movements who had forced the man to move next to her prone body. She was pretty sure the girl intended to traumatize her which was working so far. Akino stared in horror as her husband's abdomen was cut open into large gashes by an invisible knife, his intestines spilling onto the ground from its place, making nauseating wet slaps. Her ears picked up on the low laughter beside her which steadily got louder and crazier the more Arai had suffered. The enjoyment could be heard clearly in the psychotic giggles. Even though she didn't want to anymore, she couldn't help but be curious when Sakura grabbed the leg of the broken chair, spitting on it. The demonic child yanked his pants off roughly, and that was when Akino realized what was going to happen. _'An eye for an eye…'_

"Although I always like to do things without getting my hands dirty," 'Sakura' started, taking no notice of the grown man's tears or his pleas to spare him, as she coated the piece of wood with more saliva. Her eyes rapidly connected with his, the coldness driving into his soul. "But for _her_, I'll always make an exception. Heh…you'll get to suffer what she suffered."

Out of nowhere without any kind of notice, she shoved the makeshift sex toy into the man's anus, forcing through the rectum violently. His screams were so loud, Akino was sure people would be able to hear it. She held back her vomit when the knife flew into 'Sakura's' hand, knowing what was going to happen next. She turned around, desperately closing her eye and drowning out the noise as an even more gruesome howl rang out. The shriek lasted only a second until she took notice of the gurgling sounds coming from Arai. She took a peek and straight away turned her head to the side to let out the vomit. Arai's mouth was practically flooded with massive amounts of blood from his tongue being sliced; and his penis was missing, leaving only a stub.

"Hee…heehee…hee…ha…haha…Ha! Haha! Ahahahahaha!" 'Sakura' threw her head back, her pink hair matted to her face, guffawing maniacally while waving the knife around. "Can't do anything now that you don't have your dick, huh?! Hahahaha~!"

Tears formed once more in her eye again, scared of what was becoming of her niece. "S-Sakura…"

With an abrupt wave of her right arm, 'Sakura' threw her uncle around the room like a rag doll, making sure to break each and every bone. The walls thumped loudly with each throw, the window broke in many fragments from the impact. All the while the girl just giggled madly and childishly.

"Sakura…"

With a final toss, the man landed on the stake created by the broken ax handle. The stake pierced through his right lung. The girl clicked her tongue in irritation. In the moonlight, Akino saw how some bones were sticking out from his skin, spewing the red sticky liquid everywhere.

"Tch! I already cut off your tongue and stake your body among other things!" she growled with a pout. "Why won't you die?!" This time she lifted both arms—everything she could possibly use as a weapon floated to the air: shards of glass, wooden planks, the knife, pieces of the chair, even the segment of the iron chains.

Feeling the climax coming, Akino raised a weak hand, reaching out pleadingly.

"SAKURA!"

But it was too late. The debris was already embedded in the limp body which was now lifeless. Akino bit her lip to keep from crying out.

_Thump!_

She blinked the tears back. The twelve year old dropped to the ground tiredly. Her whole body was shaking tremendously. Then she heard it. She heard the quiet sobbing.

Trying one more time, Akino called out hopefully, "S-Sakura-chan?"

The tiny figure turned around with clear crystal tears, eyes full of shock and remorse. "A-Akino-obasan…?"

_0_

"Akino-obasan!"

The pink-haired girl yelled in panic, rushing to her aunt's aid, having no time to think about what she's done. Once there, she saw that the stab wound was to the side of the stomach, so no major vessels would have been injured. Still, the blonde's been lying there for a good ten minutes now. Calmly, Sakura gently lifted up her aunt, turning around to put her on her back while gathering her belongings. Shifted once more to bring the woman higher on her back, Sakura left the building swiftly. She recognized the cabin from earlier. It was twenty minutes from the highway; but glancing back at her aunt who's barely breathing, Sakura decided to run instead hopefully cutting her time down to, at least, ten to fifteen minutes.

"Akino-obasan," she called softly, earning a quiet moan in return. "I'm going to have to run, okay? Your stomach will hurt, but we'll reach the road faster this way."

The older woman nodded, tightening her hold on the girl's neck as Sakura picked up her pace. The trees flew past her in a blur as her resolve to get her aunt to a hospital drove her faster and faster. There were a few times when her bare feet would get caught in on a root, but she just picked herself back up without stopping. Even though the ache throughout her body was enough to make her give up and pass out, Sakura didn't because she knew how much her aunt had done for her just by showing up.

_'There!'_ Sakura thought with fervor, seeing the patch of flashing lights through the dark trees. _'Just a little more!' _

Her legs were starting to feel like lead when she broke through the barrier. Not conscious of it, her body kept dragging her until her feet reached paved road.

_Hooonnnnkkk!_

The obnoxious sound shook the girl of her daze as the car screeched to a halting stop, the smell of burned rubber permeating the air. Green eyes squinted due to the bright headlights. Sakura tried to say something to the driver who came out to help, but nothing came out. Soon everything became blurry and she was sucked in the black abyss.

_0_

"Ugh…" Sakura groaned, opening her sensitive eyes to the bright overhead fluorescent lights. There was a constant hum of talking somewhere followed by the sound of heart monitors beeping, alerting her that she wasn't alone. Sitting up slowly and gripping the rails, she noticed the bandages on her body and sighed. Looking around, she found her bed by the door to the left with two other beds before her. To her right, the curtain was drawn, but she could still hear the sound of the respiratory machine.

_Click!_

A middle-aged man in a white lab coat entered the room, going directly to her bed. Silently, she watched as he picked up the clipboard at the end of her bed, scribbling things here and there. After a minute or so, he finally looked up at her with a small smile when he saw her frown.

"You're lucky to be here tonight," he commented, walking around the bed to check her vitals. "And the woman they brought in with you is stable as well."

This caught her attention. She turned to the doctor, giving him a questioning gaze. "She's alive?"

"Yes, she lost quite a bit of blood, but we made it in time," the doctor answered, taking out his stethoscope and placing it on her back to listen to her lungs. "Take a deep breath. And another. Good; everything seems to be fine. Now can you tell me your relation to her?"

Sea green eyes stared forward in a daze, relieved to hear her aunt was okay. "She's my aunt," she responded automatically. "Can I see her?"

"Yes, she's fine now." The man turned away from her, getting ready to leave to see his next patient. "You'll have a few minutes—she's in the bed beside yours. Now that you're awake, we'll call the authorities so you can tell them what happened." And with that, he left and the room was quiet again.

When she was sure no one else would come in, Sakura quickly climbed off the bed and ducked underneath where they usually kept a patient's belongings. A sigh of relief was heard when she saw her bags there. With no time to waste, she just pulled out a large coat and pants and hastily threw them on. Quietly, Sakura drew the curtain back to see Akino hooked up to many tubes and machines to monitor her progress. Looking back at the door, Sakura decided to make this quick. She moved over to the bed, shaking her aunt gently awake. The woman moaned in pain, her eye lids fluttering open. There was confusion in her eyes, but Sakura didn't have time to explain to her.

"Akino-obasan," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I have to go, okay? You won't see me anymore after this."

The blonde seeing her niece and all the bandages on her face began to cry. "S-Sakura-chan, G-g-gomen!" Her cries slowly became sobs as a hiccup would come in every now and then. "I s-should have been t-there for you…I-I'm so s-sorry."

Sakura shook her head at her, a small smile curling at her lips ruefully. "Iie; I'm the one who is sorry," she said instead, stroking the bruise over her eye gingerly while trying to hold in her tears. But the woman wasn't hearing her anymore. All that can be heard from her was sobbing and her apologies. Sakura could tell her mind was cracking; her blue eyes were darting right to left, reliving each moment that happened until now. It was heartbreaking, watching her aunt—the only person left to love her—slowly lose herself. Leaning forward, the pink-haired child placed a kiss onto Akino's forehead, letting out the tear long coming. "I'm sorry…"

The action seemed to stop Akino's murmuring for a bit; but it was already too late. Sakura had already positioned her hand over her eyes, a green glow formed around limb, erasing every memory that held her in it. After a moment, Sakura removed her hand as Akino opened her eyes, glazed with confusion.

The blonde turned to her left to see a beautiful pink-haired child who was crying quietly. Her eyebrows scrunched up. "Who are you?" A smile appeared on those small rosy lips as the owner moved away to the window. With one last look over her shoulders, the child jumped from the open space, disappearing forever.

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_Shade_

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_Two Years, Five Months, Twenty-Six Days Later…_

_Friday, March 26__th__…City of Rain_

_ …_

_ …_

_ …_

_ Punch!_

_Punch!_

_ Thump!_

_ Kick!_

_ "Gak!"_

_ Splat!_

The body fell to the muddy ground heavily while spitting up blood. Long pink hair was tangled and damp with sweat and rain as fingers curled into themselves and a porcelain face was stained with muck. Another kick landed in the curve of the stomach, letting out another spray of the sticky red liquid. Overhead, a girl with brown hair and eyes was surrounded by a large group of girls behind her—all of which had the same smug sneers on their faces. The brunette, presumably the leader, bent down to the petite and broken form while taking a lock of hair forcefully. Even with all the beatings she has taken, the brunette was still unnerved by the pink teen's silence and her empty green eyes. Baring her teeth in anger, the girl hatefully smashed the other's face down in the mud before leaving with the rest of the group.

It had been some time after the bullies left and the rain let up, but the fourteen year old did not move. Despite being covered in bruises, anyone could see that this girl was grown beautifully in the two and half years she lived in Ame. Once short, her hair now went well past her waist; green eyes that were bright green at a very young age grew even brighter and clearer; and what wasn't there before were slowly filling in all the right places. It may be because of her beauty and demeanor that caused her to be the target of those who feel inferior. Still, she held no grudges against them. In fact, she didn't feel anything anymore. She just lives day by day-lives by just getting by with no ambition or dreams. Well, she couldn't say she had a dream—more like a goal. There was still one more thing she had to do before she left this world. She's had no success so far in that goal; but she'd be damn if she didn't reach it. She was sure once that goal was completed, she'd finally be at peace with herself.

_Rustle!_

Sakura moved her stoic emerald eyes to the bush beside her, her right hand moving to clutch the bone pendant around her neck unconsciously. A pair of red orbs peered through the bush at her body hungrily, the malice practically tangible in the air. True to her Inner self's words, ever since she left Tanigakure, demons and spirits have been after her, trying to eat her. Taking a deep breath as an attempt to control her emotions and by extension—her powers, Sakura glared at the small demon when it crawled out from its bush to her. It was a tiny little gray imp with slimy scales, oddly long limbs, and a pointed tail. In the light, the glowing red—which she normally saw in all the demons she's encounter—faded into pale yellow orbs that barely fit its head. When it inched close enough with its mouth wide open, she placed a hand onto its head tightly while simultaneously burning it with her spiritual chakra. She watch impassively as the skin of the imp began to bubble, threatening to burst at any second. It looked like there were boils all over its flesh while other parts were being seared off. The little demon screamed in tiny shrieks when it finally exploded into large clumps of flesh, its blood splattering her pale face. The clumps were still smoking when Sakura decided to finally get up from the squishy ground.

As soon as she spotted the setting sun from where she stood on the school grounds, Sakura sighed tiredly, knowing she was late. Her gaze went from the sun to her hand she used to burn the demon, clenching it experimentally, a scowl visible on her countenance. Lately, she noticed that it was getting harder and harder to control her powers or to keep the demons at bay. Nothing she did seemed to work. Letting out another heavy sigh, Sakura decided that enough time has passed, and needed to meet her client for the exorcism that she was commissioned for. Taking one last look at the remains of the dead demon, Sakura left quietly, following the sun like a mere shadow.

* * *

Hello everyone! Sorry, I took almost a month off (-sniffs- I'm sad it never reached 30-oh well). This chapter was hard to write from Akino's point of view, but it's done! Another reason why I was late on the update was because of Black Friday and Christmas shopping. CHRISTMAS SHOPPING! -ugh- I think it's overrated, but I wanted to stop my mom from nagging me, so yeah.

Oh and I was drawing Sakura in my point of view. Debating whether I should color it or not. Don't worry, I'm an actual artist so it doesn't look shitty lol

SOOO...I'm pretty sure there will be questions as always. BUT Sakura's abilities will be clarified more and more with each chaptor! Anyways, I also hope this chapter answers why Sakura couldn't just kill off her slimy uncle. Also next chapter, we will see more on Konoha side as well. Maybe...we'll see Sasuke, but Itachi for sure.

Okay so as you all know, I did a poll on the plots and it seemed that Plot 2 with both clans gone with Itachi, Sasuke, and Naruto are left orphans won! Woot! Woot!

One more thing! So I love the idea of Sasuke and Sakura going through the stages of puberty which I've seen all over, but aren't really as good (considering most of the ones I've found so far have been ONE FREAKIN PARAGRAPH). I was thinking of doing an anthology of them just going through the stages and whatnot and I do mean the stages. So let me know if that's something you'd read!

**Japanese Lessons!**

**Koko doko- Where is this place?**

**Koko wa Akai Heya- This is the Red Room (I looked to make sure my translations were right, haven't spoken japanese in forever and found that there's an animation actually called Akai Heya and it's totally freaky!)**

**Irrashai-Welcome!**

Okay, peace out (sorry for the long note-read it or you'll miss some important notes!)

Sincerely,

Hoozuki!


	4. Chapter IV: Through the Haze

_**PLEASE READ BEFORE YOU PROCEED TO THE STORY!**  
_

_In this chapter there is an herbal shop scene; everything said there is based on facts and personal experience (I'm Vietnamese/Chinese XD). The herbal shops where I lived had a very old and traditional look to them; and the shopkeepers really did use the old-fashioned scale as well as the modern ones. **ALSO**, I've looked up the herbs and their translations which will be listed at the end of the chapter. **ONE MORE THING**: the seal I had Sakura use the herbs for-I just used random herbs, I don't know if they had meaning altogether or not-I just wanted to add an herbal shop scene.  
_

_Now you may go forth!  
_

* * *

_Chapter IV_

_By: Hoozuki_

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_Through The Haze_

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"_It is the dim __haze__ of mystery that adds enchantment to pursuit.__"-Antonio Rivarol_

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_Saturday, March 27__th__, Konoha City_

_ …_

_ …_

_ …_

In the Land of Fire, the winters aren't really that bad—which consist of little to no frost, slight mist, hardly visible steamy breaths, and a thin sweater. The weather hasn't changed in five hundred years, so it really wasn't all that surprising to Uchiha Itachi when he woke up and saw the Sakura tree outside his window blossoming. When their parents and the rest of the clan got massacred almost three years ago, Itachi made sure to keep up on maintaining the cherry blossoms' beauty around the compound so it wasn't so gloomy—when he said he made sure, though, he actually made Sasuke do all the work to give his little brother something to keep his mind busy on something else besides the clan massacre. On that thought, he remembered his brother making a racket this morning trying to get ready for a mission with his team. He and the rest of Team Kakashi left for Ame no Kuni today on a mission request to subdue a demon. Apparently, this time Naruto picked it out the mission which Sasuke obviously was not happy about. But still, a smile appeared on the older Uchiha sibling's face, reflecting on how in the past few years, his baby brother grew so much. Sasuke became a Chuunin with Naruto when they were twelve and won't actually become a Jounin until he graduates from the Academy and that would depend on how much he excels as well.

_ Beep-Beep! _

_ Beep-Beep!_

_ Beep-Beep!_

Black eyes shifted from the pink tree outside to move to the right to where his alarm clock sat on his nightstand. It read six A.M. The man sighed tiredly. _'I woke up before the alarm again,' _he thought inattentively as he pushed himself lazily off the bed and moseyed his way across the room to his bathroom. Once there, Itachi glanced at his reflection, his thoughts drifting somewhere far off on how he wasn't going to enjoy the upcoming meeting.

_0_

_7:00 A.M._

_ …_

_ …_

_ …_

Itachi stood before the Hokage and her two advisors, quietly staring ahead while avoiding their intense scrutiny as they observed him. He was dressed in his ANBU uniform with his tiger mask in place, thanking god that they couldn't see his eyes actually roaming on their individual expressions. Tsunade, the busty blonde Fifth Hokage, gazed at him with annoyed hazel eyes while Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage—now advisor, smoked his clay pipe with a patient countenance and Mitokado Homura, same age as the Sandaime, looked just as irritated and stern as Tsunade behind his green lens. The soon-to-be twenty-one year old man had just finished telling the three of them that he had no leads on the 'Village Disappearance' case. The only thing he did find out was that there was only one survivor and her name was Haruno Sakura. It seems that she is the same age as Sasuke and was always on the move. After he informed them of this report, he had given the blonde woman a large envelope, regarding all the things he had looked into.

The Godaime let out a heavy sigh, her intense gaze finally dropping to the manila envelope in her hand, so full of paper from the last two and a half years that the metal clasp could hardly keep the flimsy flap closed. As her painted nails went to open the tan envelope, Itachi quickly raised his hand to stop her.

"Hokage-sama," he called out solemnly, "I'd recommend reading the report in private. The report contains many of the child's medical records some of which is extremely sensitive."

Tsunade nodded, understanding he wanted to keep up the patient confidentiality. She gave a quick side glance to Homura who—to her pleasure—looked more pissed off than anything. Hiding her smirk, Tsunade brought her attention back to the young man before her. "Uchiha Itachi, I'm reassigning you for now on a new mission in Ame," she said in a commanding tone. "It seems the city has been experiencing a large amount of random murders; and they have requested assistance from us in the matter. I want you to leave in an hour."

"Hai!" Itachi gave a nod and disappeared in a puff of smoke to go get ready.

_0_

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_Clear of Distortion_

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_11:30 A.M. …_

_ …_

_ …_

_ …_

_ Crunch!_

_ Crunch!_

_ Crunch!_

The young pink-haired teen trudged to her kitchen with a barely noticeable frown on her face, stepping on plastic bottles of water and kicking away glass jugs of liquor uncaringly. For her reward, the old woman she helped last night gave her a nice bottle of sake which she drank appreciatively. However, the hangover she got in return as well as the pain in her lower back caused her to be even grumpier this morning as she slammed her frying pan onto the stove. All the while, she grumbled inwardly about the demon that gave her so much trouble yesterday. Evidently, when she arrived at the residence of the eighty year old who had issues of things disappearing and breaking, Sakura knew that this demon was going to be a pain in her ass. Sure enough, as soon as she began to perform the exorcism, the damn thing started playing pranks on her which pissed her off to no end. After being slammed into walls and furniture for the twentieth time, Sakura finally caught the bastard in a trap. When she ran up to see what it was, her instincts were right: it was a baby kitsune. After much lecturing to the baby demon, she sent it off, telling it not to cause anymore problems. Because of all the pain she endured, Sakura was happy to accept the liquor to help numb the pain; unfortunately, it just gave more headaches today.

While the salted fish was frying and the miso soup was simmering on low heat, the teen went to turn on the television to see what was on the news. She didn't even bother with the weather these days since there was always a constant overcast over the entire country—which wasn't very big. The longest amount of sunlight lasted only five minutes tops. The meteorologist was saying how the incoming storm wasn't going to be as bad as the last week; Sakura rolled her eyes, remembering the woman saying the exact same thing about last week's storm. Once the table was set, Sakura grabbed a pair of chopsticks from the drawer and settled into her seat. Before she touched anything, her vacant eyes stared at the empty seat across from her, the image of her smiling little brother with his red hair and green eyes flashing by quickly. Every morning, it was the same routine: she'd make her breakfast, watch the news, and then when it was time to eat, she would painfully be reminded of her loneliness as she sat by herself, remembering her otoutou. A quick intake of air followed by a slow release later, Sakura finally took a bite of her rice, chewing little by little while picking off pieces of the fish for her rice.

_"This year will mark the Third Anniversary of the Uchiha Clan Tragedy," _said the news anchor who, for some reason, annoyed her with his extremely high-pitched voice despite his masculine appearance.

_'Uchiha Clan Tragedy…ka?' _she thought while sipping her soup slowly to not burn her tongue. Her ears listened closely, eating more fish, as the man goes onto talk about how the clan was known to be one of the most prestigious families in history yet was somehow wiped out in a single fortnight, leaving two boys. This caught her attention as she brought it back up only to have the camera zoomed in on the attractive blonde co-anchor who nodded sadly in agreement.

She planted her chocolate eyes on the camera expertly. _"Ceremonies and tributes will be held in May as requested by the Hokage and the current Head of the clan,"_ she informed her audience. _"…giving them the month of June to…"_

By this time, Sakura was already done with breakfast and was just sipping her tea, tuning out the news. _'So somebody killed their family, huh?'_ the young girl mused, her green eyes watching the clouds through her living room window. In the reflection of the glass, Sakura could see her Inner self floating behind her with long white arms—for once not covered in blood—wrapped around her neck with a small mischievous smile on her face. Her similar long pink locks were billowing around her as if she was in water. Though only Sakura could see her, to her, Inner Sakura was very real and felt real. She could actually smell the scent of blood rolling off of her; feel the warmth of her body; hear the girlish laughter; and had even tasted her from their last kiss—which she later learned was the only way to seal a contract, much to her discomfort and aggravation.

_**'Hmmm~…do you think they killed their own?'**_Inner asked lightly while moving her right hand down to the inside of Sakura's tank top, settling it over the girl's beating heart.

Sakura could feel the wicked amusement radiating off her Inner while her own irritation was boiling, but she did nothing to stop her—not that it'd do any good if she did. Her eyes glanced at the T.V.—which zoomed in on the faces of the two young men with similar features, yet one was older—turning it off with a hard push on the power button of her remote uninterested. She stood up to gather all the dirty dishes and put it in the sink, leaving them there to wash later. As she went about cleaning the kitchen and getting ready, her lookalike floated in place, a pout on her pretty face since Sakura was clearly ignoring her. Once done, the teen went to the living room, kneeling in front of a small wooden cabinet beside the T.V. stand and opened the two little doors. Inside was an altar that usually was dedicated to the deceased where the ones left behind prayed for guidance and luck among other things. There were two mini light-up paper lanterns with red tassels tied underneath hanging on both top corners, creating symmetry with the photo of the deceased, a small gold pot, and an offering all in the center. In the pot, the ashes of the burned incense piled high as the numerous thin red sticks poked straight up. Once a week, the Haruno would buy a long-lasting fruit as an offering on the altar. Every day, she would light three sticks of incense followed by three bows; and when the week was over, she would start the ritual again.

Silently, she grabbed three incense sticks from the plastic tube in the far inner left, lighting them and watching as the yellow burn off to reveal red orange ember. When the sticks began to smoke leaving a nice scent, she lifted them over her head, eyes closed and prayed. During her prayers, however, her mind always shifts to memories of the past often on how she could've done everything differently, especially how she could've saved her little brother's life. There was always a constant flow of regret in her emotions when she prayed because she had nothing else to feel appreciative for. Minutes flew by and the scented sticks were placed in the pot, spilling the ashes onto the wooded platform. Before closing the doors, Sakura took out the small frame, looking at the photo with sadness and regret. There, her little brother was forever immortalized as a photograph behind glass. His bright smile lit up the whole picture while the sun kissed his vivid red hair making it shine, and his emerald eyes had twinkled with happiness.

The young woman placed a kiss on the glass, and put it back on the altar, whispering, "I'll be back in a couple of days, otoutou." Before leaving her apartment, Sakura slung on her backpack and grabbed her motorcycle helmet while unsealing her door. The seal kept the demons out, and she resealed it as well once she was outside.

_**'So…where are we going?' **_her other self questioned dully, watching her Outer self get on the black bike.

"We're going to exterminate a demon."

_0_

_En route to the border…_

A group of three men were walking on their way to a village on the border between Hi no Kuni and Ame no Kuni to help with the demon problems there. Uchiha Sasuke had grown considerably over the last few years and not just in his abilities unfortunately. The young black-haired man was almost as tall as his sensei now, losing all the baby fat on his face with his handsome eyes now hidden under his bangs. He let out a quiet heavy sigh. Don't get him wrong; it's not like he doesn't appreciate his looks—because he would hate it if he ended up looking like the blonde next to him—but they seemed to cause more harm than good. Because of his good genes, girl were constantly trying to win his affection which in turn makes his idiotic—slightly shorter—best friend, Uzumaki Naruto—who was currently grumbling about something—jealous and annoyed with him.

The said spiky blonde, blue-eyed boy glared at their laid back sensei for all he was worth, but the silver haired Jounin didn't flinch. Sasuke looked at the twenty-eight year old man with an interested lifted brow. He had always wondered where he got his left Sharingan from, and had thought about asking; but Itachi told him it wasn't polite to pry when it came to issues like that. The subject might be a sensitive topic for others, so it was best to not even ask.

"Huh…" Sasuke let out another weighty breath, his ear hurting a bit from Naruto's constant high-pitched whining.

"Why in _the _hell are we walking again?!" the blonde screamed vehemently. "I mean, what's the point of owning cars if we can't use them?!"

Hatake Kakashi turned around exasperatingly slow, annoyance and patience in his right eye—an odd combination Sasuke thought. "First off, manners, Naruto," he reprimanded, but the boy only turned his head away defiantly. "Second, we can't use cars because it uses too much chakra. If there was another way to run cars besides using our own chakra, I'd use one; but for now we walk. We need to conserve our energy for the mission."

"Datte!"

The older man groaned. "Naruto, this is a B-ranked mission—one that _you_ picked might I add—we need all the strength we have just in case something happens."

The topic of 'something happening' perked up both boys' ears. "Are there any ways on how to subdue this demon?" the Uchiha asked. When they had picked the request, there wasn't much information—_'Figures…'_—and when they received permission for the mission, they were only told to kill it since it was causing a disturbance. Since the mission was ranked B, Sasuke can only assume that demon had been killing the residents.

Naruto's cerulean pools went from his friend to their sensei with curiosity. "Yeah, how powerful is it?"

"Hmmm…won't know until we get there." As Kakashi said this, a smile was plastered behind his mask. His two subordinates nearly choked on their saliva upon hearing the answer and looked at him unconvinced. They were both thinking something along the lines of 'How the hell could you not know?!' Upon sensing their skepticism, Kakashi-sensei stated assuredly, "Look, we'll be there by noon tomorrow and they'll tell us in detail."

"Matte!" Naruto suddenly shouted his right hand extended. "Where are we staying tonight?"

The single onyx eye blinked curiously. "We're camping out, of course."

Naruto groaned and Sasuke just glared at the man, puzzling him. "Kakashi-sensei, we camped out for the last request. Can't we, _just once_, stay in a motel or something?" he whined. "My back's still killing from last time and I still haven't gotten back my childhood."

Sasuke looked at the ground uncomfortably, and had to admit that that last request was completely horrifying and traumatizing since they had to camp out during the last snow storm. In order to keep warm that night, the three of them—one man and two hormonal teenagers—had to huddle together to conserve heat. The next day was completely awkward and they couldn't even look each other in the eye after that. The young man shuddered at the memory, feeling goose bumps form on his arms.

The Jounin appeared to have also remember the traumatizing event as he quickly changed his mind and said, "You're right; we should sleep in a motel in separate beds."

"In separate rooms more like it," Sasuke grumbled, recalling waking up to something poking him from behind only to shockingly realize that it was Naruto's morning wood. Of course, there was a lot of screaming and accusations thrown around with both boys losing their childhoods—it took them six months to finally look at each other, but it was still mind-shuddering. "I don't want to wake up to another ass rape again."

The blonde became so red in the face Sasuke was sure he could see steam coming from his ears due to the reminder. "Teme! Just when I thought I flushed that image from my brain, you had to go and say that. Besides, you're not the only one with nightmares these days!"

After his little outburst, silence suddenly settled in between the three of them awkwardly and embarrassingly. Kakashi coughed into his hand, noticing his two students catching each other's gazes which snapped away instantly. He dropped his head tiredly, praying that nothing goes wrong on this mission.

_0_

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_0_

_Past the Blur_

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_0_

_Yamakawa no Sato…_

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_ …_

Sakura was sitting inside of an old-style Japanese house in the main meeting room for guests, fatigue aching every part of her body. She had arrived at four, having stopped along the way to complete other requests before she came to the border village. Not only that, but trying to run her bike on her chakra alone was taxing. _'I should've just walked,' _she mulled over, looking at the room bored from underneath her hood. To make sure no one knew who she was, the fourteen year old hid behind a cloak, the large fabric keeping her face hidden in the shadows. Before her sat a family three with the Head in the center, his wife to his right, and his daughter on the left. It was nice to wear the cloak since it allowed her to observe without being noticed, but it also gave her an air of someone not to be messed with—which she personally enjoyed. She first looked at the man in the center: he looked to be in his fifties, a big burly man with speckled hair, clean shaven, and wrinkles forming at the corners of his blue eyes and mouth. His wife—a woman in her late thirties—was a homely brunette with soft features and a tiny build. Lastly, their daughter was also a brunette like her mother who Sakura swore looked like her in every aspect but her eyes which were her father's blue ones. On either side of the family stood two guards, watching her every move. Everyone in this room was dressed in traditional kimono, but her.

"Thank you for coming, Haruno-san. My name is Yamakawa Hiroshi," the man introduced himself in a deep gruff voice, and then turned to his left, a hand gesturing to his wife who bowed her head. "And this is my wife, Wakana, and my daughter, Renge."

Sakura tilted her head to each one just before getting straight to business. "Please tell me your situation, and I'll handle it from there," she said softly in a polite tone, startling the family. When Hiroshi said nothing, she asked, "Is something the matter?"

Hiroshi cleared his throat, embarrassed by his behavior. "Ah, suman. I didn't really know how young you were since you have your cloak on," he explained. "May I ask your age?"

"I'll be turning fifteen tomorrow."

"So young."

"A young girl doing a mission like this," Wakana stated in pity, shaking her head.

"Will she be able to handle it by herself?" said Renge, the daughter, mockingly.

Not appreciating the remarks, Sakura cleared her throat, frowning at them which they could sense without looking at her. Hiroshi immediately raised his hands up in defense, apologizing for offending her. "We've also called for help from Konoha shinobi," he added carefully. "They'll be arriving tomorrow afternoon."

"That…is not necessary," Sakura interrupted. "I'll be done by the time you tell them the situation. Now please, may we proceed or are you going to question my capabilities again?"

Even though he was a big man that could take on anyone, the Head of the Yamakawa Clan had a feeling that he should not push his luck with this girl, and proceeded to clear his throat once more to save some face. "Yes, of course!" He looked directly at Sakura bravely trying to gauge her expression, but could not see it through the shadows. "This demon has been here for a week now; and has been killing off our young men and women."

"And what have you done so far to get rid of it?"

"Everything! We called in monks and priest and exorcists, but they've all failed."

"How many victims were found?"

"Five men and seven women—the young people like to go there and socialize."

"And 'there' is?"

Black and gray brows met together in the center from the endless Q&A and her lack of emotion. "Haruno-san, I realize that this is a mission, but I want you to understand how hard this has been on the families who has lost loved ones," he told her in a hard tone. "The least you can do is show some sympathy."

It looked as if she was taking in his words until the teen took in a large breath, releasing it slowly before replying back. "Yamakawa-san, as head of this village as well as its securities, you know as well as I do that the key to solving a problem is to remain objective and not become biased just because we know the victims' families"—the Head was going to open his mouth to retort back, but she lifted a hand to stop him—"If you want to give the families some closure, I suggest we get this done as quickly as possible. There's no point in dragging everything out and making them suffer, is there?"

Yet again, the old man couldn't argue back, knowing she was right. With gritted teeth, he answered her more of questions. "'There' is the Yamakawa Bridge that connects the two parts of town. It rests above the river and slopes—that's where all the young people go. My daughter here—"he gestured with his left hand "used to go there, but I forbade her and the rest of the young folk from going until we could find someone to get rid of the demon."

"The demon, tell me how it kills its victims and when it's usually active," Sakura asked, but to him it sounded more like a command.

"It usually comes out at sunset every day, but it's hard to tell with all the heavy storms the past few days."

Sakura waited for him to continue onto her next inquiry; however, he looked queasy.

"The state in which the victims were found was a bit gruesome—it seems the demon only ate the organs and the eyes were removed. According to the autopsy, the victims were alive when the demon started feeding on them."

The room was then engulfed in silence as Hiroshi and his family waited for her response. In her head, Sakura was going over the facts, determining what she would need to exterminate the evil spirit. Finally after a moment, she opened her mouth to ask, "Do you have a long bow blessed by a temple priest?"

"Just a bow?" he asked, receiving a nod. "We do, but don't you want arrows?"

When she said nothing, Hiroshi had one of his guard fetch the bow from the next room. As soon as he came back, the guard handed the girl the long bow that was red in color and a good weight in her hand. At the very top, the character 'yuki' was carved into it. Closing her eyes for a second, Sakura reopened them to see that the bow was, indeed, blessed as she could see a light blue aura radiate from it. "Where's the bridge?"

"If you follow the river to the middle of town, you'll see the bridge," he informed her, looking at her uneasily. "How long would it take? To exterminate the demon, I mean."

With a lifted brow, Sakura answered, "I won't kill it until tomorrow." She sighed seeing his confused face. "I'll be setting up a barrier tonight to trap the demon, but it takes time for the barrier to actually weaken it. Why?"

"Well, it's just that the reward I'm giving is 10, 000 ryo and no one seems to have been able to kill the damn thing yet," Hiroshi clarified tiredly, his blue eyes glued to the tatami mats. There was movement before him and he looked up with surprise as Sakura stood up facing the open door. The sun was just breaking through; the last rays of light could be seen penetrating the clouds. And as it did, he could see the light hit the girl's eyes that made them so vivid and green. He had never seen eyes like hers before and when she turned to face him, he, for some reason, felt sure that she would be the one to kill the demon.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of everything," she told them indifferently, turning to leave.

"Ah!" Wakana suddenly cried out, shocking everyone, as she stood quickly and caught the teen's attention. "A room has already been made for you, dear, and the guards will let you through when you return."

Sakura thanked Wakana, and then asked the guard who brought the bow if he could put it in the room to which he accepted. Once she left the compound, Sakura followed the river like Hiroshi said, heading to the middle of town where it was the busiest. She decided to stop by the herbal shop first before seeing the bridge to get ingredients for the demon. Along the way—front, behind, left, right, above—Sakura saw demons of all sorts following her impatiently as the bone pendant she wore protected her from their ravenous hunger. But these days, she became aware that the power of the pendant hasn't been working as well since the demons were daring enough to approach her.

In less than ten minutes, Sakura arrived at the herbal shop she passed earlier on her way into town. _'This town really is small,' _she mused entering the shop, the scents of many herbs—fresh and dried, invading her nostrils. There were many different shapes of jars around the little space filled with roots, barks, seeds, and even powder. There were also wooden drawers built into the wall with many more herbal remedies. The bell above the door had rang out when she came in, alerting the shopkeeper of her presence. While she was looking around, a muffled voice called out from the back room and out came an elderly man with a bright smile on his face. However, he paused behind the counter as soon as he took in her appearance which was nothing but the cloak.

"How can I help you…um?" he stated, and then became unsure of how to address her.

The young woman noted this, so she tilted her head back a bit so he could see a little of her face. "Sorry, it was raining earlier today," she inclined her head to the weather outside to which the elder man understood. "I would like to buy a few herbs today."

Immediately, the shopkeeper took out several sheets of paper, placing them on the counter to wrap the herbs. "What ailment did you need a remedy for?"

"Actually, I'll be needing individual herbs," Sakura said, still looking around in fascination. "I need a pound of goshitsu, byakushi, akyou, kouka, ryuutan, and hakka, please."

"A pound of each?"

She answered with a nod.

"It'll be really expensive. Are you sure?"

"Hai. Daijoubu. Money is not an issue."

His brows lifted in question while his face held an expression of mild surprise; but he grabbed two jars from the shelves and the rest from the drawers. When he was behind the counter, the owner pulled out an old style herb scale which was made up of a copper pan at one of the black wood beam and a rounded copper weight at the other. The owner switch out the small copper weight for one that weighed a pound. Then, while Sakura watched in interest, he started grabbing a handful of each herb, weighing in on the pan—taking some out if it's too much and vice versa if there's too little. To figure out if it was too much or too little, he would balance the beam on the pad of his thumb; and when the beam leveled out, it was a pound.

While keeping his eyes on the herbs, he offhandedly remarked, "I'm a little amazed someone as young as you would know a strong technique like this."

The said girl grunted in response. "I've been getting that a lot around here for some reason."

"It's because all of the priests and monks the town sent for before you were all very old and experience." After measuring out the last of the roots and barks, the old man began wrapping them carefully; so that by the time he was done, they'd have a neatly pack square shape. Afterwards, he placed a seal of the shop on each package, and then placed them on top of each other to tied them all together with a single string. "For this seal to work, you'll need fresh blood." He then handed her the package silently.

Sakura, without commenting on his last words, asks instead, "How much for this, Ojiisan?" while pulling out her money, hearing him clack away on a calculator.

"It'll be 5000 ryo."

She hands him the money, takes the bag, and turns to leave. But as soon as she got through the door, she heard him say, "Good luck."

_ 0_

Yamakawa Bridge isn't something she could call impressive, but she is impressed that the old thing lasted as long as it did. It looked incredibly beaten down with its broken wooden rails, cracked cement, and weathered paint. Beneath it ran the river which was unexpectedly clean and clear. The slopes on each side of the bank were vibrant and green with fresh grass and several budding trees. Everything seemed to look pure and untainted; still, right underneath the bridge was extremely dark that reeked of blood. In her vision, there appeared to be a green wispy smoke emitting the smell of decay and rot. The closer she got, the stronger the smell became. That combined with the evil jaki gave her a painful headache as she covered her nose. Looking at her watch, it read six thirty p.m.

_'Well, time to get started…'_

The young woman sat against the wall of the bridge with her backpack and supplies beside her. From her bag, she pulled out a mini mortar and pestle as well as a knife and a box of matches. From each pound of herbs, she only grabbed a pinch, and grinded it thoroughly together in the bowl—the rest she was going to save for other occasions. Once the ingredients were combined, Sakura took her blade to her left hand, a long slice cutting down the palm. Her bleeding fist clenched tightly, dropping ten drops of blood into the mixture, making it an even darker color while giving it a paste-like texture. When the blood was stirred into the herbs, Sakura stood to smudge the inside of the bridge wall with her blood to attract the demon. Afterwards, she took a match, lit it, and tossed it into the bowl. At that moment, there was a blinding purple flash followed by thick red smoke, rising to surround the area. Now that everything was set, all she had to do was wait.

…

…

…

_11: 45 PM_

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_ …_

She sat out there for a good five hours now and had moved to sit under the stony structure because of another downpour. By this time, Sakura was tired, grumpy, hungry, and pretty much hating the demon right now. _'Why the hell hasn't it shown up yet?!'_

A giggle echoed from the back of her head, annoying her instantly. _**'Maybe you scared it off, sweet Sakura-chan,'**_Inner said in a slow teasing tone. _**'Being angry all the time will make people scared of you.'**_

Sakura dropped her lids a bit at the comment. _'That's fine… as long as no one get hurt again.'_

Inner Sakura rolled her red eyes, stepping around her other self to stand in front of her. And then out of the blue, Sakura found herself in the Red Room again, recognizing the dripping sounds and dim red glow; and narrowed her eyes dangerously at her smiling bloody self. Inner Sakura kneeled down while tilting Sakura's chin up with a tantalizing glint in her gaze. Slowly, she bent down to give a chaste kiss on her Outer's lips, still not getting any response.

_**"I hope you're still not blaming me for that temple incident,"**_ she murmured softly, unfazed by the hateful glare.

Sakura wrenched her face away, but that didn't stop the other girl from invading her space as she right away felt soft lips placing kisses on her neck. _"They were innocent people,"_ she growled, trying to ignore the chills she experienced where her Inner chuckled. _"They were only trying to help!"_

Abruptly, Inner Sakura pulled away, anger evident in her ruby red irises, but the smile was still present. _**"They were trying to seal me away, taking you away from me."**_ Sakura said nothing and looked away. Inner leaned in, her lips brushing Sakura's ear in a spiteful sneer. _**"Unfortunately for them, the seal weakens when you're asleep. They didn't know that darkness was the time that I am at my strongest, did they, Sakura-chan?"**_

When she didn't answer, the crimson-stained girl just smiled and brought Sakura back to reality. It took her a moment to regain her senses. But the time she did, Sakura rapidly saw the demon's wide jaw open broadly around her. Senses quickly kicking in, the teen jumped out of the way just as it took a chunk of the wall. When she was a good distance away, Sakura began chanting the ancient mantra while simultaneously forming signs for each seal, _'Rin! Pyo! To! Sha! Kai! Jin! Retsu! Zai! Zen!'_

_ "Fuuin!"_

The red smoke that had surrounded the area earlier gathered to form solid bars around the demon in a large circle. When the cage completely solidified, the bars began to suck chakra out from the demon, weakening it. Panting from the amount of chakra it took her to perform the seal, Sakura cautiously made her way closer to examine it. _He_, from the looks of it, was by far the largest demon she had ever dealt with. The top of her head barely reached the top of his knee cap. She was sure it could crush her body with just a squeeze of his fist if he could. The skin was an ugly mud brown that oozed pus and blood on some parts of the flesh. But there was something odd about it. It looked like there something crawling beneath the surface as if there were insects in the skin. Moving her head closer, Sakura nearly jumped with the flesh opened up on all of the pus and blood spots to reveal the missing eyeballs of the villagers and many more. Her green eyes moved to glare at it, disgusted by his hungry gaze. There was yellow drool coming from his mouth, dripping onto the grass and quickly eroding the ground right away. She looked up further to see horns twisted every which way and grimaced.

"It took you long enough to get here," she grumbled in aggravation, catching his attention.

His blood shot eyes widen in fury, shaking the bars crazily. "I'm going to kill you, human!" he screamed, his voice guttural. "When I get out, I'll rip you limb from limb!"

Sakura scoffed, turning away from the demon and ignoring his threats. The way back to the compound was a little unnerving as she could sense the shadows following her until she crossed the threshold and they disappeared. The fourteen year old was actually astonished that they had the grounds blessed and was relieved to know that she didn't have to put up seals and sutures tonight. Taking in a deep breath, she glanced at her watch and saw that she came back at a quarter to one. The girl trudged to her room tiredly, wanting to reach her bed as soon as possible. Once there, she dropped herself onto the futon, falling into nightmare filled sleep.

_0_

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_Outside the Cloud_

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_Sunday, March 28__th__…_

Sakura had gotten up really early that morning to run several laps around the small village with no sun to greet her. She got back by noon to shower and get ready to see the fowl demon again; when she opened her door, however, the girl was startled to see a maid in a simple kimono kneeling outside her room.

The maid, who was still in the bowed position, looked at her with an expressionless face. "The Master wishes for you to join his family for lunch," the woman told her, and then turned to leave, expecting Sakura to follow.

But she didn't.

The maid turned back, this time confusion on her face. "Are you not coming, Haruno-sama?"

A frown was visible on her lips. "I'm not really comfortable with that. Can you—"

"Yamakawa-sama insists," the woman interrupted. "Please follow me."

Seeing no way out, Sakura followed with her supplies in hand.

She was brought to a large traditional dining room in no time where a large rectangular table sat in the center. Hiroshi was at the far end facing her with Wakana and Renge in their usual left-right position. The pink-haired girl took a seat on the only cushion available which was on the opposite end of the Head. Awkwardly, she tucked her feet beneath her, trying to avoid the stares directed at her. The maid that escorted her came back to place a small ceramic bowl of rice in front of her with a pair of expensive looking chopsticks.

The wife looked up at her and smile. "How was your room last night? You had no trouble getting in, did you?" she asked politely.

Hesitatingly, Sakura picked up a piece of fish before her and dropped it into her bowl as she replied quietly, "No, I had no trouble; and the room was fine. Thank you for your hospitality."

Wakana tilted her head in appreciation, taking a sip of her tea. Ahead, Hiroshi took a big bite of his lunch beforehand, directing his gaze to Sakura. "How is your mission coming along?"

"I've already seal the demon, and am currently draining him of his chakra which will weaken him greatly," Sakura explained curtly, taking no notice of his shocked stare. "By the time your reinforcements from Konoha arrive, I'll be done."

"Eh~!"

The new voice caught her focus as she moved her eyes from Hiroshi to his daughter, Renge. The girl looked to be a few years older than Sakura and had a pretty face. But pretty faces can only go so far if one had a nasty attitude. This was the vibe that Sakura got from this girl. The way she looked at her with an air of arrogance and incredulity like she was dirt made Sakura want to slam her face in.

"So you really can do something after all," the brunette said rudely, waving her hand offhandedly. "And here I thought you were just after our money."

A pink brow twitch as a vein popped out.

"Renge!" her mother reprimanded with a frown. "Do not speak to our guest in such a tone. Be respectful as you are also a lady of this house!"

Renge rolled her blue eyes defiantly. "Guest? She just barely turned fifteen today, Kaasan. She's hardly worth our time. I mean, she's just going to use a bow to kill it?" she continued to mock Sakura, a sneer marring her face. "What is she going to do? Whack it to death?"

This time Hiroshi grew red in the face, ashamed and angry at his daughter's words and behavior. "That is enough, Renge!"

Of course, the daughter went on to ignore her parents, used to doing this to them all the time. "Seriously, what kind of family makes their kid do this kind of work anyways?"

"Renge—!"

The Head of the family stopped halfway when he saw his guest lifted a small delicate hand. Once he stared at her, the other two did as well. From the shadows of her cloak, the three of them could see glowing green eyes and shivered.

"It's fine, Yamakawa-san," Sakura waved off the remarks like they were nothing but annoying flies, with no emotions while directing her cold gaze to the daughter, making her flinch. "To answer your _questions_, Renge-san; I have spiritual chakra that I can shape into an arrow—that is the reason why I asked for a blessed bow. As for my family, they're all dead."

Immediately, Sakura could see all the guilt flooding across the girl's face and almost wanted to laugh at her foolishness. Instead of doing just that, she opted to just leave the family hanging as she took the bow and the rest of her stuff and left the compound.

_0_

In fifteen minutes, after that ridiculous fight, Sakura was at the bridge, standing ahead of the demon with one hand on her hip. She looked at it with an impassive expression while it glared holes into her skull in return.

"Decided to let me out, brat?" he spat, causing the eyes on his flesh to oozed more liquid.

"Only if you're willing to leave this town, I won't kill you," Sakura returned monotonously.

The demon let out a furious growl, yanking and charging at the cage, shaking it. "Go to hell, you little bitch!" He then proceeded to spit his slime at her that she dodged in order to avoid get hit.

The teen let out a sigh, shaking her head. "Suit yourself." She left again, provoking the demon with an amicable wave her hand. Going up the slope, Sakura thought that she was actually being nice. She gave him the chance to live, but if he insists on being a jackass, she'll just have to kill it.

Then she heard the beast scoffed confidently. "You think by killing me, you can get rid of the guilt and shame of killing your baby brother?" he questioned, making her glance back at him. "That sin will haunt you for the rest of your life. When it catches up to you, I'll be there to make sure it happens."

The demon waited for a reaction, but received nothing as the young spiritualist left.

Standing back on the main road, Sakura was trying to decide where to go next, looking up and down the dirt path, not letting the demon's words get to her. As she did so, her green eyes landed on a mother and daughter shopping hand-in-hand and swiftly narrowed them. Anger followed soon after as the memory of her mother—_'No, not mother—'_of that woman resurfaced. _'No! Don't think about it,' _Sakura scolded herself. _'There's no one here to hurt me anymore.'_

Tearing her gaze away from the two, Sakura chose to go down the right end of the road towards the entrance of the town. There was a cherry blossom park there that she saw on her way in here. Seeing as how it was spring, the young woman wanted to go to the park and just relax.

When she got there, sea foam eyes took in the scenery before her: couples walking, children playing, families gathering—all underneath the falling pink petals. The trees were lined on each side of the walkway which had a bench at every fifth tree. The path then opened up to a big circle with a playground in the center filled with little kids laughing while their parents watch from afar on the side benches. The cherry line stopped at the playground; the cherry trees were then scattered around the large plot of land—some in clusters, others individually. On a whim, Sakura decided to jump onto the cherry tree closest to the tree line and the playground that way she could people-watch. She settled on a large branch, leaning against the old trunk while observing the little kids play. Since this Sakura tree was so big and in full bloom, the fourteen year old had no problem blending in without being detected. From where she lounged on the branch, her eyes could also see a bit of the sky which gave way to another light downpour. With the rhythmic lull of rain and exhaustion weighing immensely on her eyelids, Sakura let herself fall into a sound sleep.

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_Beyond the Fog_

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_At the Main Gate of Yamakawa no Sato, 2:00 PM_

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Team Kakashi finally made it to the border village, albeit two hours late due to all the rain they encountered along the way. While Kakashi-sensei was getting all the paperwork done at the border station, Naruto gave a sneaky giggle, dragging a reluctant Sasuke away with him to the Sakura Park.

"Where are we going, Dobe?" Sasuke asked, irritated and tired at his friend's childishness.

The blonde turned around with a large sheepish grin. "Since Kakashi-sensei is the Jounin-in-charge, he could do all the paperwork without us!" he exclaimed while laughing jovially at his brilliant idea. He twisted back, ignoring Sasuke's eye roll, to yell even louder at the cherry tree line. "It's spring, Sasuke-teme! You gotta enjoy it! Just look at how pretty they are!"

As they passed each tree, Sasuke did exactly what his best friend said: he looked…very unenthusiastically. He has seen literally hundreds of Sakura trees at home thanks to Itachi making him do all the garden work, saying with his lousy excuse that it'll keep him occupied or something. But he already had Naruto for that.

"Whoa!" Naruto shouted excitedly, while simultaneously yanking on Sasuke's sleeve and pointing to the playground equipments. "Look! Look! This place is huge! There're so many cherry blossoms everywhere! And look at the jungle gym!"

As his best friend kept tugging painfully popping his shoulders, Sasuke pulled away roughly growling. "I can see that, usuratonkachi!" he yelled back, giving Naruto a taste of his own medicine. But unfortunately he was ignored when the blonde ran around the park like a little kid. However, since he, Uchiha Sasuke, was no longer a kid, the young man refused to run around like an idiot; and opted to stay where he was by the playground entrance awkwardly staring at his friend amusing the children there. Closing his eyes briefly, Sasuke took in the scent of rain and cherry blossoms. It was a nice smell, fresh and clean. He thought about the trees at home, and how his mother always took such good care of them that every spring the petals appeared to glitter in the sun. The trees here were pretty, but they could never compare to the ones at home.

In the middle of his reminiscing, something soft fell onto his nose, making him scrunch it up at the tickling sensation. Opening his dark eyes, he felt for the soft petal and found it on the tip. Tilting his head back, his dark obsidian orbs soften at the sight of the petals falling like rain. But he noticed from the corner of his gaze that looked to be strands of pink.

When he turn his neck to look, automatically his gaze widen slowly in amazement and disbelief. Amazement because he's never seen anyone, let alone a girl, sleep so peacefully in a tree before; and disbelief because the pink strands turned out to be locks of light pink hair against a porcelain face. He was so dumbstruck that all Sasuke could do was stand there and stare. The Uchiha then saw her stir, probably sensing his presence or heard his intake of breath, he wasn't sure. He watched intently as eyelids pressed tighter to keep from waking up. But as soon as the girl began to open her eyes, the nerve-wrecking feeling Sasuke felt two years ago suddenly came back. For some reason, it felt stronger this time. He felt like he couldn't breathe the air was so thick. Before he could ponder more about it, however, a sharp intake of air averted his focus back to the girl in the tree. He refocused his eyes on her and also found he needed to take in another breath as well.

_'Such innocent green eyes…'_ he simply thought.

Sasuke felt that he was being pulled in by how innocent those shocked green eyes looked. They were clear like liquid and full of emotion at this moment. He could tell she was thinking the same thing about him. That's how every girl was in his village. She's probably never seen eyes as dark as his just as he has never seen hair as pink as hers. He didn't know how long they stared at each other, but the moment was broken when all that innocence was washed out by sudden coldness. He was actually impressed that she didn't fawn over him like most girls did. Instead, it looked like she was trying to kill him with her glare.

Amused by this reaction, Sasuke decided to provoke her with a small smirk to which she noticeably flinched at. He inwardly laughed at her actions as she jumped down from the tree with several belongings in hand. Now that she was at ground level, Sasuke could see that her hair was extremely long and looked silky. She had a petite and fit physique and was a head shorter than him. She was wearing black skin tight pants with knee-high boots, allowing Sasuke to note how long her legs were. As for her top, he saw her wear a low cut white shirt underneath a black leather jacket that ended just below her bust. All in all, he thought she was very pretty. The girl was aware of his gawking and glared even harder before turning around to exit the park in another direction, throwing a black cloak over her tiny form.

Sasuke chuckled at the girl's behavior, watching her stomp off haughtily. Hearing the idiot call him, Sasuke, too, turned away with the smile still present on his face when he came back—the action confusing his companions…

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Alrighty! So they finally meet! I was actually going to post this yesterday or this morning-however you want to look at it-but I got tired around 2 am. lol Anyways, I hoped you guys enjoyed this chapter since it took me forever to type, add, and re-edit (I like to hand-write everything first). I hate Renge by the way. She's my to-go character to provoke you guys. Haha!

**So here are the herb names and their translations: Look up the Chinese names instead cuz you'll find better results that way.**

Goshitsu- Niu Xi; Achyranthes Root

Byakushi- Bai Zhi; Angelica Root (very common)

Akyou- E Jiao; Collagen (powder)

Kouka- Hong Hua; Safflower Flower

Ryuutan- Long Dan Cao; Chinese Gentian Root

Hakka- Bo He; Wild Mint Herb

**More:**

Yuki-courage

Jaki-malicious ill will

Fuuin-seal (verb)

Datte-but still

Kuji-in-The Nine Hand Seals used in many religions like Buddhism, Shinto, also Ninjutsu and Jujutsu.

**A/N:** I know I said I would have Itachi and Sakura meet as well; but I couldn't fit that it otherwise it would've been 30 pages instead of 20. Also, the Kakashi-Naruto-Sasuke (in that position) brief recall was influenced by the movie "Without A Paddle." lol I couldn't resist since Sasuke's attitude is based on his original and Road to Ninja self. **BTW! This was the fastest update in my entire FANFIC LIFE!**

Anyways, I'd like to thank the lovely people who've added me to the following list as well as those who have reviewed. Your support is very much appreciated as it keeps me going to continue this story. Thank you very much.

Sincerely,

Hoozuki


	5. Chapter V: Wish

This has got to be a record or something! lol

Disclaimer: DX

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_Chapter V_

_By: Hoozuki_

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_Wish_

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"_Sometimes all you really wish for is for someone to wish for you...__"-anonymous_

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_March 28__th__, 2: 15 pm…_

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As Team Kakashi was on their way to their client's residence, Naruto was blatantly gawking at his best friend with suspicion in his eyes. Ever since Sasuke got back from the park with a smile plastered on his face, the guy's been off in Lala Land. The blonde narrowed his blue eyes deeper while running different possibilities in his head. _'Did he hear something funny while I was gone?'_ he pondered, his gaze wandering over to their sensei, more suspicious thoughts entering his brain. _'Are those two planning something?'_ Naruto inhale quickly as another thought soared in. _'Are they gonna get me back for what happened six months ago?! Damn it! I already apologized!'_

Meanwhile, as Naruto tried to figure what was up with Sasuke, the said young man was remembering his encounter with the cherry blossom haired girl. The feeling was there. It felt almost the same as the one he felt with Naruto when they first met. The feeling of familiarity. The feeling of knowing someone for a long time. But even though that was what he felt, Sasuke sense that there was something more to that feeling, a stranger emotion behind it. He saw it in her face as well. She felt something, too. The young Uchiha remembered Naruto asking him so many years before if they met somewhere; when, in actuality, that was the first time the two of them even knew of each other's existence. He glanced at the brooding spiky blonde curiously, and wondered if he would have the same reaction as he did if he met the pink-haired girl. Would he feel the same connection he did? Would there be a sense of familiarity, too? And what about that sense of foreboding he had earlier. He hadn't felt that since his clan massacre two and a half years ago.

Soon, Sasuke got a minor headache from all of his racing thoughts and grimaced. It was then he noticed the intensity of someone glaring at him. Looking up, Sasuke lifted one black brow at the fierce gaze Naruto directed at him.

The expression of confusion quickly turning into one of annoyance as the blonde continued his death glare. "What the hell are you staring at, stupid?" he spat out while landing a fist on the yellow head.

As usual the hyper shinobi react badly. "What about you?!" Naruto shouted, clutching his throbbing skull, a tear leaking from his right eye. "You've been staring at who knows what with a thousand expressions on your dumb face since we got back from the park!"

Embarrassed at being caught, the Uchiha snapped his head away childishly. "Whatever, you're just imagining things," Sasuke tossed at Naruto's way.

"Ahem!"

A throat being cleared obnoxiously loud caught their immediate attention. The two were surprised to find that they were already in front of the compound's entrance with Kakashi-sensei staring at them like they were idiots.

"Now if you two are done with your lover's spat," Kakashi said monotonously, darting his eye between the both of them, "Would you two like to show the guards your insignia, please?"

Naruto and Sasuke sweat dropped at their sensei before showing their allegiance mark. Sasuke had pulled the left side of his collar down while Naruto unzipped his sweater, sliding it slightly off of his right shoulder to show their Konoha swirl leaf insignia. Kakashi also had his insignia on his right shoulder while his left was branded by the ANBU swirl. Back then, many shinobi organizations has the symbol on hitai-ate; but it became impractical when they tried to enter other villages as spies and the forehead protector was very easy to steal. So Konoha, being the first to implement the idea of branding the symbol with chakra, had the other nations following their lead. Once the guards confirmed that their insignia was authentic, the three were let through and led to the main meeting room.

The team sat across from Hiroshi and his family, each intruding themselves. Of course, when Sasuke introduced himself, the daughter had a dark blush on her face; but when it was Naruto's turn, all he got was a huff and ignorance. Now that the introductions were done and over with, Kakashi started with apologizing for their late arrival due to the rain storms which the Head nodded in understanding. He then asked Hiroshi of the situation, but the man looked reluctant, nervous even, as he tugged the collar of his kimono and glanced at his wife.

The Jounin lifted his silver brow in curiosity. "What's wrong?"

The Head relented under his intense stare and groaned dismally. "Well…we've already hired someone else, but we weren't sure if she could do it, so we asked for your people to assist her," the man explained warily, avoiding Kakashi scrutinizing stare.

The team all looked at each other, shocked at hearing the news for the first time. "A girl?" Kakashi inquired. "Can you tell us what she looks like, so we can find her?"

"Sorry, no," Hiroshi admitted, ashamed while making the team think how he couldn't. "She was very secretive of her identity; she turned fifteen today if that helps."

Sasuke sighed at the man's incompetence and looked at him, crossing his arms. "How can you hire someone whose identity and reputation you don't even know?"

At the haughty query, the wife, Wakana, spoke up. "Actually, the child was known throughout this region as one of the best spiritualist which is why we hired her," she voiced as a matter-of-factly while putting a finger to her chin in thought. "I believe she is a member of the Hakurei Clan, but she told us to call her Haruno when I contacted her."

The Uchiha was unconvinced by the response. "And what led you to believe that she is a part of this clan?"

"Her abilities."

The three of them looked at the daughter for the first time since they got here. Her expression went from blushing to complete seriousness and concern in a matter of seconds. She looked directly at Kakashi, her eyes showing nervousness. "She said she could mold her spiritual chakra into an arrow and could tell that our bow held spiritual powers."

_'Haruno and Hakurei…could this child be the one Itachi and I investigated two years ago?' _the silver-haired man wondered.

"Ano sa! Ano sa!" Naruto called out, poking Sasuke's shoulder. "What is this Hakurei Clan?"

Swatting the offending finger away, Sasuke answered tiredly, "The Hakurei Clan is known to have the ability to see into the spiritual world. Things that we don't see everyday are as clear as day for them."

Kakashi moved his head down in agreement. "Many monks and priests have trained their entire lives just to achieve the kind of spiritual perception that come naturally for them," he commented. "Unfortunately, that ability, like all others, has caused them to be ostracized. But they were always a secluded clan living in the mountains and valleys and forests of Kaminari no Kuni—which is a natural fortress against the demons and spirits they were known to exterminate."

Hiroshi, on the other hand, thought about Kakashi's words and recalled how the young spiritualist's behavior was so withdrawn. "Now that you mention it, Haruno-san was very private," the older man noted. "There was nothing that made her stand out, though. She even hid her face from us."

Kakashi concurred with the description, but sweat dropped soon after noticing his subordinate scratching his blonde head. "What is it, Naruto?"

The blonde squinted, crossing his arms. "I was just wondering—the Hakurei Clan, are they ninjas like us?"

Sasuke thought it was a good question since he was also interested himself. Like Kakashi said, they were secluded, so little was known about them—not even his textbooks could tell him anything about that clan. He looked at his sensei with full attention.

"Hmmm…I suppose they could be," the Jounin mumbled quietly to himself.

"What do you mean?" Hiroshi asked, wanting to know more about the girl he hired.

"Well, for the Hakurei, a child at the age of seven must go on a pilgrimage—this allowed them to connect more the spiritual energy around them. It also helps strengthen the ability to use their own chakra as weapons. But they are also taught jutsu—how to channel their chakra like the Hyuuga Clan or how to use their chakra to heal like Tsunade-sama. Many of their weapons have to be purified and blessed; this helps increase the impact of their techniques against demons. So I guess you could compare them to the monks at the Fire Temples, but more advanced."

The Uzumaki made a sound of awe and understanding while still trying to process the information. Then something hit him as he snapped his stare at the Jounin. "Wait! If they're so secluded, how do you know so much about them?" he demanded to know. "If they're as mysterious as you say they are, they wouldn't let an outsider like you to know of their clan secrets!"

Sasuke twisted his head to look at the man blankly.

Kakashi chuckled at his student, surprised by all his inquiries. "The fortress they live has a barrier, hiding it from even a ninja's eyes."

Sasuke blinked. "So…in other words, you got lost."

The Jounin actually had the gall to look offended and hurt when his subordinates gave him a deadpan stare. "I was injured at the time and the overcast and the mist muddled with my senses. Staying there gave me the chance to learn of their culture," Kakashi rambled, then coughed, turning his attention back to the client. "Tonikaku, can you tell us where she is? She might need some assistance."

"She should be by the bridge by now, taking care of the demon," Hiroshi answered.

_Boom!_

A loud explosion sounded close by following by a flash of lightning as Team Kakashi reacted on instincts, pulling out their kunai. The guards did a perimeter search around the compound, and then signal to the main family that everything was alright. Kakashi nodded seriously at his subordinates—both of whom return the motion of their own. His students ran outside to check around for trouble while Kakashi stopped to make sure the family was alright. When he was done, he was going to exit until the family got up to follow. He turned around with a hand outstretched, stopping them effectively.

"Stop! You need to stay here where you'll be safe!" he commanded with deadly seriousness. "We'll take care of this."

And with that, Team Kakashi jumped over the stone gate, disappearing in the mist.

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_Craving_

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_30 Minutes Earlier…_

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After leaving the park in a hurry, Sakura slowed her pace to a walk. Even though she hid her face underneath the thick black fabric from the heavy rainfall, each time the cool droplet landed on her cheeks, Sakura could feel how hot her face really was. She shook her head violently at her foolishness which resulted in more splashes to her face; but she didn't take any notice of it since she was still trying to get rid of her stupid blush.

_**'He was good-looking, wasn't he?' **_Inner Sakura teased, fiddling with her nails, trying to pick the blood off.

The image of the boy flashed into her head briefly, but it was enough to make her blush darken and hate his guts at the same time. The spiritualist clicked her tongue dismissively. Sure he was one of the most handsome men she's ever seen—_'With his black hair and eyes and fair complexion—no!'—_but his type was always the first to run away. As soon as they learn of her abilities, they run away with their tails tucked between their legs. She let a heavy sigh, a thought weighing heavily on her mind. Even though Sakura wanted to honor her promise to her little brother, it was hard to be happy when so much had happened. She paused in the middle of the road to pull out a silver heart-shaped locket with the characters for 'I love you' etched onto the surface from inside her shirt beside the bone pendant. It was a gift from her little brother for her eleventh birthday, so she could carry him with her no matter where she went. Clicking the lid open, she looked at his tiny face in the heart frame, thinking about her promise.

_"Find somebody to love you…promise me you'll be happy…"_

Right away, Sakura shut her eyes at the memory, not wanting to remember that particular recollection. Closing the little trinket, Sakura tucked it safely back beneath her shirt and continued on her way to the bridge. However, though she forced her mind not to linger any further, it decided to go back to the black haired boy anyways. Now that she thought about it, the boy looked like he was her age and a traveler, too, judging by his appearance and the bags on his shoulder. She did wish sometimes that they still used the hitai-ate—that would make it easier for her to tell who's from where. But there was something else. Before Sakura woke up, she was sure she felt something familiar about him. Like they met before somewhere.

Inner chuckled lightly in the background at her train of thoughts. _**'So you think you two might have shared some history?'**_

The teen bit her lip in thought. _'Maybe…but there was also a feeling of something bad, too—I don't know. Yet…despite that feeling, my heart somehow felt lighter than it's ever been in a long time when I saw him.'_

Her Inner lifted pink eyebrows interestedly. _**'Is this a good thing?'**_

Sakura placed a hand over her heart, feeling the fast beats as she continued to think about the boy. Often times she could always tell what a boy was thinking without having to read his heart; although, with this boy, for some reason, she couldn't get a read on him at all. _'Honestly, I don't know. But we need to concentrate on killing this demon instead of that boy.'_

_**'Of course, anything you say.'**_

_'I mean it. I don't want you forcing your way out unless I allow it.'_

Red eyes rolled uncaringly. _**'Fine. I will not come out until you call me.'**_

The blossom haired girl nodded, satisfied with her other half's answer, despite how half-hearted it was. Overhead, lightning flashed here and there brightly behind the gray storm clouds which were followed by the booming rumbles of the thunder. One particular thunder clapped deafeningly near her location, causing her to flinch. Here she was—a spiritualist who's fought all kinds of demons and was afraid of thunder—she laughed lightly at the thought. Her hand tightened on the bow as she quickened her pace, seeing the bridge coming near. As she stood over the slope, another lightning flared by, revealing her right eye to be red. In the same moment, the demon's face twisted in rage upon seeing her form. Using the rain on the grass as momentum, the young girl slid down the slope, landing gracefully. With her bangs sticking to her cheeks and forehead, she impatiently swiped them away to clear her vision.

"Are you ready to give up?" she screamed over the roar of the storm.

Her answer was an outstretched arm, clawing close to her face. Swiftly, the girl jumped away, raising the bow with her left hand. Breathing deeply, Sakura concentrated her chakra into a single form, pulling the bowstring carefully until it was past her chin. Gradually, her chakra took the form of a translucent blue arrow, the edges flickering like a blue fire. As she aimed with determined accuracy at the demon, ready to let go of the string, a lightning struck down at the barrier, breaking it with a loud explosion. Automatically, Sakura let go of the arrow. The arrow barely grazed the demon, but it was enough chakra to incapacitate his left arm. While it shot into the sky, Sakura was thrown back to the slope due to the blast, her hand letting go of the bow. Another boom followed when the arrow exploded, hitting nearby demons as it rained blood and fleshy clumps, soaking her with red.

Groaning, Sakura sat up on her left arm, clenching her head which slammed painfully against the ground earlier. Pulling her right hand back, Sakura swore when she saw her fingers with bits of blood. There was movement beside her, and she shook out of her daze to grab her bow. Her hand frantically moved about the damp grass to find it, but there was nothing. Panicking, green eyes spotted the bow by the bank of the rushing water. She tried to scramble to her feet to get to the weapon, but the blow to her head made her dizzy. Her body dropped back to the grass, and so she decided to drag herself over until she was felt a tight grip on her ankles, pulling her back. The girl snapped her wild gaze around, widening her large orbs when she became aware of the demon's proximity. The eyes on his arms moved about crazily, capturing her in a trance, paralyzing her.

"D-dou yatte…?"

Her sentence never got to finish since the demon took hold of her right ankle and slammed her into the brick wall of the bridge. The impact was so hard that it caused some fractures in her ribs, making her cough up a small amount of blood. At the same time, Sakura felt the sickening crack of her head hitting the wall as well and could feel her head pounding sharply. Her tiny form had dropped to the ground none too gracefully; Sakura wincing and feeling the broken bones. But she barely had time to catch her breath when pain shot through her head once more, her stringy pink hair being forcefully pulled from the scalp. The demon lifted her high with her feet dangling several feet above the ground. Sakura's hands quickly grabbed his bulky arm to relieve the pressure, but it was too much. Amidst her struggle, she saw her pendant lying on the grass opposite of the bow and realization dawned on her then that that was how the demon was able to come near her.

"Ha…" his low chuckle caught her interest, bringing her focus back on the arm over her. Your time is up, Priestess of the Heavens."

Sea foam green eyes twitched at the title, wondering how he knew.

The demon laughed at her reaction, shaking her about. "To think that I was lucky enough to have the famed priestess come to me," he mused, enjoying the sight of her squirm and wince. "If I eat you, I will be the strongest demon to ever live—stronger than even the Kyuubi!" The teen narrowed her eyes in disgust as the demon leaned closer, his putrid breath nauseating. "But don't worry; I'll make sure you see your dear little brother, so you can tell him why his big sister betrayed him."

At the mention of her little brother, Sakura froze, her brain not even processing the fact that all her eyes saw in front of her was pitch darkness with sharp teeth around the edges. Everything seemed to flicker by so fast in the span of those seconds.

_**'Sakura! Sakura wake up, damn it!'**_ Inner Sakura yelled from the Red Room, trying to shake the knob loose. However, her outer self was determined to keep her locked up. _**'Sakura!'**_

In the back of her mind, Sakura could hear her inner self yelling something, but she couldn't even register that because all that went through her mind so vividly was the blood of her brother staining his face, her body, and her hands.

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_Crunch!_

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_ Everything stopped._

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_ The rain moved in slow motion._

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_ She felt it sinking in._

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_ She could feel the single drop slide down her right arm._

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_ She could smell the mix of decay and blood._

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_Drip!_

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_ "AAAAHHHHH!"_

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The ear piercing, body trembling shriek ripped at full volume over the raging storm as the girl began to struggle wildly, anything to get away from the agonizing pain, only to cause the teeth to sink deeper and the wound widen. Teeth clamped deeper and deeper into her flesh of her right shoulder, effectively breaking her collarbone. Sakura let out another blood curdling scream at the intense pain, too out of her mind to hear her other half shouting for her to be let out. Then she went limp, her body too broken to fight back.

Inner Sakura could only watch from the room, fisting clenching worriedly. _**'Sakura…'**_

The demon yanked his teeth from her neck with a sickening squelch, the red fluid dripping down his chin as his saliva burn the skin there, dropping Sakura to his feet. He, then, proceeded to grip her ankles and drag her underneath the bridge where the shouki grew stronger and stronger. She could feel her shoulder numbing and her body weakening from the blood loss. When Sakura let her eyes wander about, she followed the trail of blood her body left. It was at that moment that she noticed a pair of bare feet standing above the water. Moving her tired eyes up, Sakura saw a pretty light blue kimono filled with beautiful and intricate details surrounded by a semi-transparent serpent. _ 'A dragon?' _ She moved her range of vision until she saw a small hand wrapped around the handle of an umbrella to a pale face draped by cascading long black hair. The young spiritualist immediately frowned in bewilderment. From where she laid, it seemed like the ends of her hair were rippling like water. Sakura stared at the lady's face again. A small smile curved the corners of her somewhat blue lips as ice blue eyes twinkle as if she knew her.

And before the teen could even blink, Sakura found herself surrounded by water, still able to breathe as the liquid cooled her heating body. But already, Sakura noticed the difference. The pain that was throbbing immensely lessened a bit and her tiredness was going away. She wasn't healed all the way, but it was enough. After several moments in the water orb, Sakura was released gently on the ground. While she was busy pushing herself up, she felt a cool hand on her head, freezing her in her spot.

_"I'll see you again, Hakurei Sakura…"_

The pink head snapped up, eyelids blinked rapidly, searching for the woman in the kimono; but she disappeared.

"What the hell?!"

Sakura twisted around to see the demon by the bridge and she was—she looked around—oddly next to the riverside with the bow beside her. She looked at her position and the demon's position again, trying to figure what in the world had just happened.

The demon got back on his feet, growling. "Kuso Ame-onna!"

_'Ame-onna?'_

And then the demon was charging at her again.

Inner Sakura yelled from the Red Room, _**'Sakura, hurry up! This isn't the time to wonder!'**_

Upon hearing her other self lecturing her, Sakura shook herself out of the reverie and grabbed the bow. With an expression of fierce determination, Sakura stood and raised her right arm, summoning her powers. With her mind, she stopped the demon at mid charge, and threw him back to the structure. Due to the impact, pieces of the bridge broke off. Of course, it didn't take long for him to recover this time since he took a chunk out of her and drank her blood. Getting back up with a vengeance, the demon threw his head back, letting out a long battle cry, attracting other demons as he charged at her once more. In the span of a moment, the demon stretched his arms out, eyes blinking to paralyze her as Sakura had the snap the bow in position with an arrow formed—a hair's breadth between them.

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An deep inhale.

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An incomprehensible cry.

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An outstretched arm.

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An arrow released.

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Each droplet of rain broken.

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…

…

Her fingers let go of the thick cord, the arrow tip spiraling as it whistled against the wind and rain. Her lids blinked slowly against the droplets, but she saw everything clearly. Sakura saw it in the demon's face—the fear and shock as he was being blown away by the force of the arrow penetrating his heart. Just before he blew up in bloody chunks of flesh, however, Sakura almost jumped in astonishment. Her reflection scared her—her countenance was deathly pale with strands of hair plastered here and there on her forehead and flushed cheeks, splattered with crimson blood and pieces of warm body parts. But that wasn't what frightened her. It was the look in her eyes and the half smile on her red lips. Her eyes were fully red now. She had managed to keep her other half at bay, but she had slipped through; and that half smile was her way of rubbing it in. With the two combined, Sakura now saw what her aunt had seen—and only saw a face that wanted blood.

_Thunk-thunk!_

_ Thunk!_

_ Thunk! _

_ Thunk!_

Pieces of the sizzling carcass landed everywhere, making the slope to appear as a battleground. Lifeless dull gray eyes stared at her hatefully, cursing her even in death. From the corner of her peripheral, the pink hair spiritualist noticed a twitch from a piece of the demon and sighed. Tiredly, she pulled out a kunai from her back pouch, bending down on one knee to stab the blade directly into the large skull which successfully stopped all brain functions and body movements. When she took the head, instinctually, the young woman felt someone staring at her intently.

Turning around ever so slowly and cautiously, she saw through her now red orbs the boy with black eyes…

_0_

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_Yearning_

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_0_

Sasuke was the first to arrive at the scene, having sped up when he heard a girl's scream. But when he got to the top of the slope his stomach churned violently, and vomit threatened to force its way up his throat. The first thing he noticed was the stench of something rotting permeating the air. The second thing was the twitching body parts trying to merge back together. And lastly, he became very aware of someone down below. He had heard the person first before he saw them. Directing his gaze to the cloaked figure, Sasuke had realized that this must be the girl Hiroshi was talking about. He watched silently as she trudged over to stab the surprisingly large head, ceasing all body functions. Then as if she sensed his presence, she turned so eerily slow, it reminded him of those parts in movies where one would expect a completely deformed face.

_Ba-bum!_

The bright vermillion in those eyes was so murderous Sasuke could practically feel it in the air. It froze him in his spot. There was so much killing intent in them he could've choked on it. As if anyone who would dare to gaze in them would be dead in that moment. He could even say that those eyes rivaled his own Sharingan. After all, he's heard from many people who have come in contact with his kekkai genkai that it was one of the most terrifying experiences ever. As she glared at him dangerously, he return the glare ten-fold with his own indifference until Sasuke was completely soaked through, the rain not letting up at all. The girl seemed to notice this as he saw a brief flash of green and something else he couldn't quite put his finger on. The young Uchiha frowned. _'Green?' _Maybe it was his imagination, but he could have sworn he always so guilt or shame as well.

The girl turned away arrogantly, tired of the contest he assumed, taking the head with her and disappeared in a whirlwind of leaves. In the background, the young man could hear his teacher and friend finally catching up, their boots splashing in the puddles noisily. Even by the time they reached him, Sasuke said nothing.

Kakashi, who stood beside the silent teen, frowned at the mess. As far as gory went, this one topped his list. He had never seen something so gruesome and violent in his sixteen years of service. And by the looks of it, there was a lot of blood thirst lingering around.

"Did that Haruno girl do this?" Naruto asked in breathless disbelief, pinching his nose.

Sasuke didn't answer. His odd behavior caused Kakashi to look over at his student with a frown. The young man looked troubled for some reason and it worried him. The Jounin placed a hand gently on the young man's shoulder. "Sasuke? Doushita?"

All he got from the teen was a slight flinch from the contact, but still no response. Naruto also took notice of this and his blonde brows met in concern. He went over to light shaken his friend which successfully snapped him out of his stupor. The Uzumaki only watched as his best friend blink slowly and looked at them like he was lost.

"Naruto…Kakashi…"

"Sasuke…you okay?" the blonde was really worried now for Sasuke. He had never seen the Uchiha so shaken up before and it just made him wonder what Sasuke saw.

_'Maybe he's still stressed from the last mission…'_ Kakashi thought to himself. "Sasuke, what happened here?"

The said teen looked at his sensei, and then back at the bridge. "The girl, she was here," he mumbled. "So bloody…"

This suddenly alarms the Jounin as this confirms his suspicions: the spiritualist was out for blood.

_0_

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_Longing_

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_0_

Meanwhile Sakura arrives at the compound with the dead head of the demon, startling the guards and the family. She was completely tattered from head to toe. The wound in her shoulder was starting to hurt again while there new bite marks throughout the rest of her body, leaving a watery blood trail. The faces the family was making made her think that she really did look as horrible as she feels. She stumbled through the threshold, the unseen barrier blocking the other spirits from following her. Just to make sure, she turned around to see the spirit clinging to her back dissipate; and at the entrance, Sakura could see the hissing smoke of demons being affected by the barrier. As soon as she got away from the bridge, spirits of different sizes and shapes bombarded her in every direction, taking bites out of her as they did so since she lost her pendant. Looking back at the family, the young woman crumbled to the ground exhaustedly. Sakura had to admit—that demon was as tough as he looked. The wife was the first to catch her, clutching her protectively.

"Haruno-san!" Wakana had called to her, shocked by her wounds. When Sakura tried to get away, making sure she couldn't see her eyes since she didn't know whether they were still red or not, the woman held onto her tighter. "Go get the doctor!"

Upon hearing this, Sakura staggered back up. "It's fine; I don't need any help."

Wakana scrunched her brows together worriedly. "Are you sure?"

Sakura nodded and turned to one of the nearby guards, "Can you go get my bike for me?"

As the guard left hurriedly, Hiroshi came up to the young girl with a look of astonishment and amazement on his face. "I have to say that I'm quite impressed that you've managed to slay the demon when so many others couldn't," he said admittedly.

The young girl dropped her head slightly. "Aa…"

"Also, I have your reward here," the man added, then looked at the head a bit nauseated. "What are you going to do with the head?

"You actually need to do this part," she said quietly, handing Hiroshi the head. "Give prayers to the head and burn and bury the ashes," she instructed. "This will help keep the spirit away."

The Head only nodded dumbfounded, trying to remember the instructions before handing her the reward. As she took the money and stuff it in her bag and muttering a small 'thank you', one of the guards had brought Sakura her bike. With much effort, the Haruno managed to climb on the vehicle. Sakura cringed when she felt with each movement the pain it had caused. She didn't even bother with the helmet since her hair was so damp anyways, slinging her backpack on and adjusting the side mirrors. What she was actually more worried about were the demons hanging by the compound entrance, waiting to snatch her up. Her eyes even caught some of them licking the blood that dropped onto the ground, despite it being so diluted by the rain. With the last of her strength, Sakura tried to heal her wounds as much as she can. And then, the girl weaved a number of hand seals to place a barrier around herself.

_'Hopefully, this will last for a few hours until I get back to Ame,' _she prayed inwardly, inspecting the thin shield erected against the hungry spirits.

The young woman then started her engine with what little chakra she had left.

Hiroshi came up to her suddenly. "I just wanted to thank you, really," he told her gratefully. "You really helped us back there."

Sakura nodded silently and then drove the bike slowly out of the entrance, away from the compound. Once pass the gate, the teen saw at once the spirits rushing at the barrier, only to burn up from the contact. She let out a breath of relief, _'It works for now…_' After confirming her shield was functional, Sakura started down the road to the village exit. Not even five minutes out, up ahead, she could see the silhouettes of three figures in the mist coming towards her, the details become clearer and clearer. The man in the lead had silver hair that was swept to his left followed by a boy in orange with blonde hair. They quickly passed each other without so much as a glance at one another. But at the last person, Sakura almost wanted to slow down for him, but decided against it. She now knew that that boy was a part of that team sent from Konoha City to assist her, and she wanted nothing to do with it. So she sped away with the reflection of the boy in her left side mirror, feeling almost guilty. Her green eyes watched as he had turned back at neck break speed to stare at her retreating figure. Sakura wasn't sure, but she thought his expression seemed to be that of disappointment.

0

Kakashi didn't even stop to look at the biker, Sasuke noted, and neither did Naruto. He supposed they were worried about the family at this point. He was as well; Kakashi had said on the way that he had sense intense bloodlust and that they should check on the family right away. It didn't help that along the way, Sasuke and his team saw bloody trails. By the looks of it, the girl was losing a large amount of blood, too. But when they got closer to the resident and when he saw a bike nearing them, Sasuke suddenly felt nervous. And while his team passed the person without a care—the Head and his family a priority now; Sasuke felt time had slow down for him as they passed each other at the same time. From his peripheral vision, Sasuke could've sworn he saw pink hair from underneath the heavy fabric. It was only for a mere three seconds; and the hair was so light in color, it had barely reflected any light. Yet he was sure. He was sure that it was pink that he saw. Sasuke stopped mid run and twisted around so fast, he was pretty sure he was going to snap his neck. Before he could get another glimpse at her, however, the girl already sped away, disappearing in the mist.

When she and the vehicle were no longer visible, Sasuke somehow felt a little dishearten with the short encounter. In all honesty, he had hoped that the biker wasn't the girl he met at the park. He just couldn't picture such pure eyes as hers to witness such a scene nor could she be the cause of it. He dropped his head dejectedly, letting his rain soaked bangs to cover his eyes. As he did so, Sasuke's eyes caught a glimmer of light shining into his pupils. Bending down to see what it was, he managed to pull out a small heart locket that was tramped down in the mud. He examined the surface of it, feeling something carved curiously. Because of the dim skies, Sasuke activated his Sharingan to get a better look and read the phrase 'Aishiteru' on the lid. His brows lifted high at the bold words, wondering if the picture would be of someone who loved the person dearly. Snapping the jewelry open, the locket was made to hold four pictures—one of which was already taken. The picture was small and water damaged; but Sasuke could still make out the face of a small child with red hair and green eyes. His eyes widen slightly in realization.

_ 'Is this…is this hers?' _the young man thought, sensing that it belonged to the girl from the park. Then Sasuke decided until he could give the locket back to her, he would keep it safe and tucked it into the pockets of his pants before running to catch up with his teammates.

_0_

_0_

_0_

_Hope_

_0_

_0_

_0_

The Jounin and Chuunin had ignored Sasuke and went to check up on the family. When they rushed in, the guards were alarmed until they realized who it was and let them through. Kakashi and Naruto came in just as Hiroshi gave the guard the heavy head, a grimace on his now sickly face. The Jounin looked at the size of the head, and was amazed at how big it was. The thing was twice his size and it made him wonder how much damage the girl took. The Head then became aware of Kakashi and Naruto's presence and greeted them with wide arms and a smile.

"Kakashi-san! You just missed Haruno-san. She—"

Without letting the man finish, the said man interrupted him, demanding, "Did she hurt any of you?"

The older man blinked in confusion and glanced at the rest of his family. "No, why?" he asked, a little puzzled by the inquiry.

Kakashi sighed in clear relief, shaking his head to dismiss his concern. "What happened when the girl came back? Did she say anything to you?"

Hiroshi furrowed his gray brows, trying to recall if she did or said anything strange. . "Haruno-san gave us the head to pray and burn," he informed the Jounin, but then remembered something else. "She looked like she had a lot of bite marks on her. It was hard to tell because of the cloak, but when she came through the gate, she seemed to be uneasy and was bleeding heavily."

Wakana walked up beside her husband, worry still etched on her face. "Will you find her to see if she's okay?" she asked Kakashi. "She's just a child, after all."

The silver-haired man nodded. "I'll see what I can do. But before then, we'll help you clean up the mess here and at the bridge. Naruto! Sasuke! Help Hiroshi-san with the demon!"

The blonde gave an enthusiastic salute at the sound of his name. "Osuttebayo!"

At the call of his name, Kakashi saw Sasuke jump and reluctantly came over to help. Through their entire duration in Yamakawa no Sato, he wondered if his student knew anything.

_0_

_0_

_0_

_Ache_

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_0_

_City of Rain, 6: 23 pm…_

…

…

…

_Slam!_

The door shut loudly from the pull of the wind, the whole apartment eerily quiet save for the pit-pit of the rain hitting the window and the wind shaking the glass. It was already night time by the time she arrived in City of Rain. Low stomps with the whispering of water dripping onto the tile and a grocery bag being tossed carelessly on the table echoed in the dark space. Her legs carried her to the kitchen while Sakura stared stonily at the cabinets, thinking about her last request. It was the worst experience ever. Never had she thought that so much would go so wrong: the barrier broke, she got bit—but mostly, she was upset that someone saw her in such a state. While lost in her thoughts, Sakura felt her inner self coming out, wrapping her arms around her.

Inner Sakura placed her chin on the girl's shoulder gingerly. _**'What about that blue spirit we saw? Who was she?'**_ she asked quietly, knowing not to make her outer mad. _**'That demon had called her Ame-onna.' **_

Green eyes closed as her chest heaved in a long breath. _'I don't know…it seems everything that could go wrong today did.'_

_**'Maybe your powers have gotten stronger.' **_

_'I hope not. I don't want any more trouble.'_

Sakura pulled out a short clear glass cup from her cabinet which was followed by a bottle of brown liquor from the refrigerator. From her freezer, she filled the cup with ice and trudged over to her small table with a lazy slump into her chair. Delicately, she pulled off her jacket and shirt until she was in nothing but her bra. Silently, the girl poured the whiskey into her cup, watching as the ice shifted from the disturbance. While she slowly took a sip, she poured a bit of the alcohol onto her open shoulder wound, wincing at the pain and burn down her throat, too lazy to grab the first aid kit.

_'Damn, this'll be a pain to wrap up,' _Sakura groaned inwardly while settling comfortably in her chair.

Her body was on autopilot now, her mind just thinking nothing. Her eyes glimpse at the cabinet beside the television blankly, knowing what's behind the doors. And then with a sigh, carefully Sakura pulled a box out from the bag, opening the container to reveal a simple cupcake with a single white candle in the center. Lighting a match against the box she pulled from her backpack, Sakura gingerly transferred the flame onto the candle.

As she stared at the yellow orange flicker of light, her mind went back to what the demon said earlier: _"I'll make sure you see your dear little brother so you can tell him why his big sister betrayed him…"_

Light pink brows furrowed, eyes closed tightly, and a hand went to grasp at the locket. _'That demon didn't know what he was talking about…' _Her frown deepened. She looked down to find the trinket, yet it wasn't there. Sakura felt her chest tightened at the lost as her body trembled dangerously. The girl tried to remember what had caused her to lose it. _'May be it was when all those demons attacked me. Could it have fallen then?' _

"Damn it!" she slammed her fist onto the table, cracking it, not caring if it would make her wound worse later.

Of all the things she could've have lost, it had to be her gift from her brother—the only thing she had left in this world. She bit her lips in frustration, drawing blood. Sakura could feel her eyes welling up, but tried to will it away. Her teeth grinded together to stop the onslaught, but it was already too late. The floodgates have been opened and large crystal tears were now sliding down her cheeks, splashing the wooden surface. Her body curled into itself, wishing the pain away as she let out a sorrowful sob.

_'Now…I really am alone…' _she thought melancholically, crying uncontrollably. _'I have no one left to protect…'_

"Ungh…otoutou…I'm so s-sorry…"

Her cries echoed reverberated through the quiet apartment, accompanied by the rain as the heavens cried with her.

After several moments, still crying, Sakura lifted her tear stained cheeks from the table and stared at the pastry. With trails of salty liquid streaming from her green eyes, she blew out the candle before succumbing to fatigue and loneliness. _'I wish…I wish I wasn't alone anymore…'_

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_Want_

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_Ame Police Station, 6: 30 pm…_

…

…

…

From where he sat, Itachi could see the storm still raging outside, lightning streaking across the gray cloudy skies. Since his arrival yesterday afternoon, he had been interrogating families nonstop and was beat. He looked at each of the victims' files at least three times now, and the only thing he found in common between them was that they were seniors at the local middle school. A lot of the students were fairly good-looking, too. He groaned loudly, leaning back in his chair, and throwing his arm over his eyes to block out the bright overhead fluorescent lights.

Then remembering the photo in his breast pocket, he called the chief over, showing him the picture. "Have you seen this girl around here? Her name is Haruno Sakura," the young man inquired politely.

The chief took the photo, scrutinizing carefully. "Oh yes!" he exclaimed, giving the picture back. "She's also a senior at the middle school. Poor thing, she's always getting picked on."

"That's great!" Itachi said, finally being able to get something new for his other case, and pulled out a notepad.

The chief gave him a look at his odd exclamation. "It is?"

Itachi realizing what he said, clarified, "I meant it's good that you have information on her. How long has she lived here?"

"About two years now—maybe more."

"Does she have any relatives here?"

"No." his reply made the Uchiha look up curiously. "She lives by herself. We were concerned for a while, but she seems to be doing fine on her own."

Itachi lowered his gaze. "Sou ka…"

The chief blinked at his change of attitude. "May I ask why you are inquiring?"

"Ah…it's for another case I'm working on," he mumbled, scribbling more notes. "Is it okay if I go to the school tomorrow to interview the other students? Also, can I see Haruno Sakura's file?"

"Of course, we'll inform the teachers," the older man told Itachi and left to go get the file. Several moments later, he turned with a thin cream folder. "I hope you can solve this. We've already lost too many children."

The young man nodded, thanking him for the file. He was slightly surprised by how little the folder held. There was nothing on her previous addresses or current living relatives—just how old she was, which school she went to, etc. Attached to the folder was her current picture: a youthful pretty face with no emotion whatsoever. He compared it side-by-side with the photo he had for two years. His photo was of an eight-year-old child with short pink locks and a shining smile. Itachi lifted a brow and looked at the other picture curiously.

_'I wonder where she went…'_

* * *

_Spoilers! DON'T READ Italics IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE MANGA YET!  
_

_Why in _the _hell did he have to kill Neji?! -cries uncontrollably- As some of you may know from my other account that I have depression, so I thought I would read the latest Naruto to make me feel better and I read that Hyuuga FREAKIN Neji DIES! ARGH! -bangs head on wall-_

Anyways, that was my rant. Onto bigger news: HOLY CRAP! I UPDATED IN LESS THAN A FREAKIN WEEK! THAT'S AMAZING! AND TWO DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS TOO! lol

**SOOOO...Since I've updated for you guys even earlier as a present, IN RETURN! Can I have reviews for my present? Pretty please? It would be so awesome of you guys!**

Also, some of you might complain about Sasuke and I'm alright with that since I am combining his personality from the show and movie! So Bleh!

**And since I'll be starting the Spring Semester on Jan 14, expect slower updates as I have Chemistry, Med Term, Mac Econ, and Bio for my new semester at a new University. Probably the two weeks update again, but I promise not to leave you hanging with this story as this is now the most fun I've had in writing one.**

**Anywhoo...Merry Christmas and Happy New Years my lovely readers! **

Sincerely,

Hoozuki


	6. Chapter VI: Breakdown

__Disclaimer: Pssh! I wish!

THIS CHAPTER IS SO FREAKIN SHORT!

* * *

_Chapter VI_

_By: Hoozuki_

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_Breakdown _

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"_Acting is a way of living out one's insanity.__"-Isabelle Huppert_

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_Monday March 29__th_

_Ame Middle School, 11: 15 AM_

…

…

…

"If you combine two elements or compounds, this will create a new element/compound. Remember the elements combined are reactants and…"

In the back left corner of the classroom by the windows sat Sakura in her gray sailor school uniform with a strange combination of boredom and grumpiness on her face. There was a reason for this—actually several reasons. The fifteen year old was bored out of her mind since she already knew all of the contents of her chemistry class. When she first came to the city and school, they tried to figure out what placement to put her in, so the principal decided to put her in their most advanced classes. But it seemed that she already knew most of the other subjects as well. So the teachers don't really call on her anymore to answer, wanting the other students to actually learn from the material instead of just copying. The second reason happened last night.

_Flashback…_

…

…

…

_It was around the time she had came back from the grocery store after waking up late from her nap. When Sakura was done cleaning the altar for her little brother, she noticed a white envelope that was slipped in through the bottom of her door. Even before she looked through the contents; immediately, Sakura knew she wasn't going to like what was inside. Once she had the thin paper in her hands, she saw her name scrawled neatly in front with no sender. She debated on whether she should open it or not; but seeing as how shitty her day had ended up anyways, her tiny fingers pulled out a stiff card. On the card was an array of different colored balloons with the words 'Happy Birthday' printed diagonally in gold, floating with the clouds in the background. At the sight of the card, the young girl felt her stomach drop, a cold chill running down her back. _

_Outside, the rain could be heard thrashing violently against the winds as the window panes rattled loudly in the silent apartment. The winds howled lowly like moans of forgotten spirits, longing to be noticed. Still, she took no notice of the warning outside as she thumbed the page open. Inside it read:_

_...  
_

_ 'Happy fifteenth birthday, my dear little cherry blossom. I hope we will meet again soon…'_

_ Love,_

_ Your Father_

_...  
_

_ Her hands shook angrily as they tightened so much, the card and envelope crumpled into balls in her fist. In her rage, she never noticed that her vice-like grip stained the white material red._

_...  
_

_...  
_

_...  
_

_ End Flashback…_

Finally, the third reason the young girl was so grumpy was because she got no sleep whatsoever last night. Not only had the pain in her right shoulder caused her to sleep uncomfortably, but because she lost her bone pendant the demons were making a commotion around her apartment. Even with all the seals and sutures she had placed on the windows, walls, and doors, the spirits were so noisy. To top off her night, Inner Sakura almost took over several times due to her weakened state. Sakura had placed a large blood seal on the floor of her room that she slept in the center of. The seal only works at night—deactivating come morning. With the seal activated, a large amount of chains would spring forth from the seal, encircling her to keep her inner self in. But because Sakura was so weak from the previous battle, the seal wasn't working at full capacity and her inner managed to come out once. Still, even if she managed the take over, she couldn't get past the chains which were meant to seal all malevolent intentions in. So when the spiritualist woke up this morning, her room was completely trashed.

Sakura exhaled resignedly.

"Make sure you balance the coefficients on each side of the equation or it'll be unstable," the teacher reminded her students, pointing to the chemical formula on the board.

Her blank dark green eyes stared outside, watching the rain as it continued to fall endlessly while her sensei rambled on about the different types of chemical equations. Truthfully, she had no idea why she kept travelling to places like these and pretended to be the helpless new girl. But Sakura supposed all she really wanted was to be normal. She wanted a mother who'd love her; a father who'd protect her; and a brother to look up to her. Yet she knew that will never happen.

"Remember class!"—this made Sakura turn back to the front—"The police will be coming to ask you on your fellow missing students soon," the teacher said, re-jogging her students' memories. "So please cooperate and be on your best behavior."

Then their teacher left so they could do some self-study until the authorities arrived. Naturally, none of the students studied, so they all went about murmuring and gossiping about the random student deaths around the school. According to the police and rumors, there were at least seventeen known deaths and three missing, giving a total of twenty student deaths—most of them unfortunately were girls of the senior class. Some were afraid to go to school this week; the teachers have also been getting a lot of phone calls from concerned parents, questioning the school's safety and security.

From behind her, Sakura could hear a group of students conversing quietly about the missing teenagers. Unnoticeably, she leaned back a bit, facing the window still as if she was minding her own business.

"My friend told me her dad said the students were skinned alive," one girl whispered cautiously.

Another student scoffed, and by the sound of it, it was a boy. "What would her dad know?" he questioned, Sakura feeling his eyes roll.

Behind her, Sakura sensed that the girl was now starting to feel offended due to her huff. "Her dad's the coroner, you know. It's Yumi's dad."

There was movement, a small shift.

Another girl part of the whispering group had moved closer. "So do you think it's true then?"

"What?" the boy asked.

"You know…that it's just seniors?"

"But that wouldn't make sense," the first girl said. "Why only attack us seniors?"

As Sakura thought about their conversation, some of the information they said were mostly true. The young woman had actually done some looking around as well herself. Her first instinct told her that it was the work of another demon attack. The attacks having been going for almost three months now and the authorities had no leads at all. This city wasn't like the other villages; the city and its people didn't really believe in the supernatural, so to think a demon did this was preposterous and insane.

In front of her, another group was whispering. "I heard that they said it might be an animal attack from the bite marks."

_'Could it be more than one demon this time?' _she wondered idly, watching a droplet slide down the glass surface. _'I've never heard of demons hunting in packs before…'_

_ Knock!_

_ Knock!_

The sound of the door sliding open made Sakura refocus her thoughts to the front of the class as a man in his early twenties stepped quietly into the room. As soon as the girls' eyes landed on him, many gasps and words of admiration spread across the room. Standing in the center of the room behind the podium was a man with long black hair that was tied at the base of his neck with equally black eyes dressed in a casual work suit with no tie, shirt not tucked, and hands in his pockets. He was very handsome and young to be working with the authorities; and she's never seen him around before.

_'Someone must've sent for help from the other countries,'_ Sakura concluded. As she looked closer, her pink brows lowered into a frown, noticing something strangely familiar about him. _'Black hair…black eyes…? It can't be…'_

A small smile crossed his face, making his features stand out and him more handsome. Instantaneously, some girls were swooning over the older man as the male students looked about the room baffled.

"Konichiwa," he greeted in deep smooth voice. "My name is Uchiha Itachi and I would like to ask you students some questions if you don't mind."

Abruptly, the room became hushed when he introduced himself. Sakura tilted her head slightly, barely remembering hearing something about Uchiha. From behind her she heard the girl from before talking quietly curiously.

"Hey, is he part of that clan that was killed two years ago?"

"Yeah—I think it was the Uchiha clan."

There was a moment of awe before the first girl replied with, "He looks intimidating, but handsome, right?"

Ignoring that last sentence, the pink haired girl turned back to look at him, only to be startled when she found him staring back at her with a look mixed between interest and astonishment. She scowled, not liking his expression. It just reminded her of the men in her old village.

"I'm here today because I would like to know what happened to your friends," Itachi stated while putting all twenty photos of the deceased boys and girls on the blackboard. "I've already spoken with their families, but I would like to know what any of you know of these twenty students. Anything would be helpful."

_'What good would that do?' _Sakura thought sourly.

One girl at the front of the class raised her hand. Itachi, catching this, gestured for her to speak up. "Well, all those students were really popular at Ame Middle School," she informed him shyly, a blush on her cheeks.

Sakura rolled her eyes at this.

The young man nodded, writing the information into his notes. He looked up at the class, scanning each student meticulously. "Is there anything that would make them stand out?"

"They played sports for the school!" someone shouted from the back.

"Mmm-hmm." The Uchiha nodded, scribbling everything the students said. "So they were athletic and popular; did they get along with everyone then?"

The class was engulfed in silence once again. Itachi raised his black brows in interest. "Did some of you not get along with these students?"

As everyone averted their gazes from Itachi's intense scrutiny, his eyes once more landed on the rosette fifteen year old. Seeing her emotionless face in real life was certainly different than looking at a photo. He could see that even though there was no hint of emotion or feeling on her countenance, he could still see the innocence lurking behind them. But he could also tell the hurt and mistrust as well by the way she held herself—so stiff and rigid, arm crossed in front of her chest.

"They—" sooner than he wanted, Sakura had turned away no longer interested—"weren't really nice. They always bullied everyone in school for being poor or ugly.

Tearing his eyes away from the blossom haired girl, Itachi thanked the student who provided the info. So that was how the day went on with him interrogating the whole school; and Sakura sitting in her class, thinking how similar he was to the other boy.

_0_

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_0_

_Crash_

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_0_

_0_

_ 4: 30 PM…_

_ …_

_ …_

_ …_

_ Slam!_

_ Thunk!_

_ Thunk!_

The teenager slumped against the hard surface of her door, staring at where her shoes landed when she kicked them off a minute ago. Her daily dose of getting beat up wasn't so bad today, she thought. Sakura managed to get away with just a punch to the face and having her head slammed against the wall. Blood was dripping from the cut on her bottom lip and over her right eye from her hairline. Still, she was still in immense pain from the last mission. Her right shoulder really lost a bit of flesh and blood; and the broken collar bone—which was taking its time to heal—made it difficult to do anything like eat, drink, or write. Going to school with her arm in a sling sure brought her attention she didn't need or want. With the thought of school in her mind, the image of Uchiha Itachi flashed by. She didn't want him getting involved with her either since he was clearly a lot older than she was. And she was pretty sure he was the boy's older brother—they obviously share some genes. It was like the other boy—they may seem kind on the outside, but on the inside, there will always be some ill intentions. The teen sighed tiredly, pushing herself off the door slowly. Facing the entrance, her fingers dabbed a bit of the red liquid off her face to fill in the holes of the blood seals she placed on the surface. She continued this for another few minutes before turning around with another sigh.

Sakura was about to step to the kitchen to wash off the blood, but she stopped abruptly, alert. She sensed something else in the room with a narrow of her green eyes. She clicked her tongue in frustration while slowly moving her left hand under her skirt where she hid a knife to her upper thigh. _'My senses must still be weak,' _she figured, seeing as how she didn't feel the other presence in her home. Looking around her living room, Sakura could feel someone in the right corner of the room. Without warning she threw the kunai into the shadow. Her frown deepened when she saw who stepped out from the darkness with her kunai in between his middle and forefingers.

Itachi stood there with the same small smile on his face, not at all fazed by her glare. He deftly threw the knife back which she caught with ease. He glanced at her face, noting the blood still dripping. What stood out, though, was her petrified stance—her body stiff with the knife in defense—and the young man lifted his brows wondering.

"I'm not going to hurt you, Haruno Sakura," he assured her gently, seeing her flinch at the sound of her name while raising his hands. "I just want to talk."

Even so, the spiritualist didn't move, only glared, trying to read his motives. When it was clear he wasn't going to do anything and not reveal his goals, the young woman groaned with annoyance. Sulking, she trudged to the kitchen, thinking it was her fault for acting suspicious in the first place. As she turned on the hot water to wash off the grime, from the corner of her eye, she saw Itachi now by the counter watching her. After patting her face dry, she pulled out two glasses and pour in some of her whiskey. Stealthily, with her back to him, Sakura pulled out a small packet of purified tasteless and odorless powder that affects demons. She'd know right away if he was as it would instantly paralyze him with its purified properties. If he was human, then the powder would have no effect on him.

_'It's always good to be safe than sorry,' _Sakura justified as she wordlessly handed him the liquor. Judging by his wide-eyed expression, he didn't expect a girl like her to drink, but accepted the beverage nonetheless. When he took a sip from the glass, green eyes watched warily from the top of the rim. _'Damn…'_ She downed the alcohol, not minding the burn, when nothing happened to him in disappointment. _'He's human.'_

Feeling the burn settling in his stomach, Itachi lowered the cup to the counter with a concerned look. "A girl your age shouldn't be drinking," he began obviously out of professionalism, but more out of worry for her well-being. He could tell she was suffering more than she was letting on in school just from watching her minutes ago. Seeing her like that reminded him of Sasuke when they lost their family. Of course, Sasuke never resorted to drinking; but the boy was devastated. He had looked sickly then from the lack of nutrition and care. But like they say, time heals all wounds no matter how deep. "It's not good for you."

Sakura only remained quiet, not wanting to heed to his objections.

When he sensed her reluctance, Itachi pulled out the same notepad as well as his pen. "Did you know any of the students killed?"

She shook her head 'no.'

"What about the killings?"

She nodded 'yes.'

"Are you looking into the killings yourself?"

At this, Sakura looked directly at him for a minute like she was debating with herself, but in the end the girl turned away and let out a short breath. His obsidian orbs observed her for a moment before he snapped his book shut and put it back into his pocket. Slowly, he leaned forward on the counter to not scare her. She didn't move, freezing in the middle of taking a drink. Itachi supported himself on his elbows, hiding his face behind his interlacing fingers. There was still heavy tension in the air. It was almost uncomfortable, but he didn't show it. He knew all of it was coming from the Haruno, her distrust evident.

Before he left Konoha, Itachi had given Tsunade a file that contained all of her past medical records. And even though he wasn't good with looking at X-rays, from what he could tell, Sakura had suffered from many severe bone fractures. He could only assume then; but seeing her in the flesh, Itachi now knew. He knew that this child was suffering from long-time physical and mental abuse. Every time he moved, she would watch carefully and then shift slightly to whichever angle was better for her to counter any attacks. She didn't seem to mind his watching, but she was still cautious. She's been through so much torture; she can't even trust anyone despite their good intentions. He figured her mind set was, 'Even if they're nice to me now, in the end, they'll always betray and leave me.' His eyes soften, imagining what he would have done if Sasuke ever ended up like her.

_'I would probably make it so that he could trust again,' _the older Uchiha sibling thought somberly of his otoutou. _'…to love again…'_

His eyes closed, wondering if he should tell the child before him the reason why he was really here. He opened his eyes again to stare meticulously at her and he decided. "Sakura-chan," he began, but something on her face threw him off and he frowned in confusion. There was a light blush on her cheeks and he didn't know why. What did he say? The girl then twisted her face away with an embarrassed scowl. _'Oh.' _ Itachi smiled, thinking it was cute. "Has it been a while since someone called you by your name?"

Sakura seemed to hesitate for a second before moving her head up and down.

"I'm also guessing no one's ever called you with that suffix, either, right?"

Again, Sakura confirmed his question with a nod. The older man continued to smirk at her shyness, pleased with seeing an emotion other than anger. Everything about her just continues to remind Itachi of Sasuke. His little brother was always the shy one as well.

"Sakura-chan," Itachi started again and took a deep breath, knowing his next words will make that blush disappear. "I'm here for another reason actually. I'm here because I'm investigating a village disappearance and you're the only survivor of that village."

Quickly, as he predicted, the young girl froze.

"Can you please tell me what happened to your village and your relatives?"

Even now, Sakura refuses to say anything. She knew that someone was going to ask about it; but to have to be reminded of it was very hard and painful. She didn't want anything to do with it. But the images of fire and blood kept speeding through her mind's eye.

"I went to ask your aunt, Fujioka Akino, about you, but she didn't seem to know who you were."

She shut her green eyes, feeling her emotions becoming harder to control.

"Why are you always travelling?"

…

…

…

_'Stop…'_

_ …_

_ …_

_ …_

"What are you running away from?"

…

…

…

_'Stop…'_

_ …_

_ …_

_ …_

"But more importantly…"

…

…

…

_'Stop!'_

_ …_

_ …_

_ …_

Her hands were trembling furiously now, keeping herself in check.

Itachi looked at her with pity in his black eyes, recalling as he looked about her apartment earlier, he saw the altar she had for her little brother.

"…why do you look as if you don't deserve to live?"

Her eyes snapped open. _'Otoutou…'_

"Stop please!" Sakura begged, clutching her head desperately.

Itachi was surprised by her sudden outburst. She never said one word or showed any emotions until now. He immediately felt guilty for pushing her when he saw her tears, and tried to pat her head to comfort her, but she scrambled away, scared. He sighed sadly for her, and then got up to leave. Before he exited the apartment, he looked back at the girl.

"You know…you shouldn't drink your sorrows away," Itachi advised quietly, listening to her soft sniffs. "Find someone to share your pain with instead, so you won't have to feel so lonely."

With that he leaves, trying with difficulty to ignore her breaking down melancholically on the other side.

_0_

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_Burst_

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_Meanwhile with Team Kakashi at the gate…_

_ …_

_ …_

_ …_

The team was getting ready to leave for Konoha City today after that hectic clean up day yesterday; and Naruto and Sasuke were now extremely tired. Where Kakashi was in all this, they had no idea; but they knew they were still pretty pissed at the man for ditching. Naruto was pretty sure he wasn't going to eat any meat anytime soon. He shuddered suddenly. Even though the spiritualist said to burn and bury the head, the copy Ninja had told them to do the same for the rest of the body just in case. The only problem was that the rotting corpse was scattered everywhere.

"Ugh," the blonde moaned sickly. "Let's not do that again. That was just disgusting."

Sasuke glanced at his friend and found that Naruto looked as he felt. Sure they were shinobi and all—toughest of tough—but there were still some things that makes them queasy. For example, picking up intestines that fallen out and scattered in pieces across the slope. Or finding all the eyeballs of the victims (Kakashi didn't want to leave the victims' spirits restless). The younger Uchiha grunted, digging his hand deeper in his pockets, trying to forget the whole ordeal. As his fists jammed deeper, the knuckles of his right hand grazed against the heart locket he kept with him the entire time.

For the whole night last night, Sasuke had kept on clicking the piece of jewelry open, staring at the happy little face of the redhead. He had come to the conclusion that the child was her younger brother since she seemed too young to have a seven year old son. The more he stared at the photo the more he could see their similarities, especially their eyes. The child also had clear pure viridian eyes as his older sister. His smile was also refreshing like nothing could ruin the moment.

While he fingered the piece of metal, Sasuke wondered if that girl had a smile like that—a smile so bright and carefree once before. _'No…probably not as carefree,' _he corrected mentally. _'Her smile would be kinder and softer…'_

_ Flap!_

_ Flap!_

_ Flap!_

Above them, a crow had cawed at them, catching their attention. The black bird landed on their sensei's extended arm as the Jounin pulled the tiny scroll attached to its leg off.

"Is that from Nii-san?" Sasuke asked, stepping forward. "What does he want?"

Kakashi pulled out the scroll, reading the contents intently:

...

_Kakashi_

_ Come to the City of Rain ASAP. I've found the girl. Hurry._

_ Itachi_

_...  
_

The man looked up at his two subordinates who both had curiosity written on their faces. Naruto was adjusting his backpack while asking, "So what did Itachi-niichan want, sending his crow over here?"

The said crow disappeared in a puff of smoke when Kakashi dismissed it. Tucking the message into this pocket, he said, "You two will go on ahead; I have some business to take care of in Ame."

No later than a second was he bombarded with protests from both boys on why he shouldn't go alone or why he should bring them or 'since it's his brother, he should be there.' Kakashi blinked exaggeratedly and took a large breath.

"Boys!" At once, the blonde and brunette stopped their ranting. As the older man looked at them sternly, the two lowered their heads in shame. "The both of you are not yet Jounin, so you cannot accompany me. Now until you are, you two are to follow my orders and that is to head back to Konoha City. Understood?"

"Hai…" the two grumbled.

Kakashi gave a satisfied nod and vanished in the smoke. The two friends stood there staring at the spot their sensei was standing before for a second before shifting to glance at each other. Naruto shrugged at Sasuke who returned the gesture with an exhale. Then the two exited Yamakawa no Sato, putting the hoods of their cloaks on, sheltering them from the rain. About half an hour into the quiet walk, Naruto had called out to Sasuke, keeping his blue eyes ahead.

"Nee, Sasuke?" he called softly.

Sasuke looked up. The only time Naruto was this quiet was when he was in serious thought. "Hn?"

The teen moved closer to the Uchiha so he could hear him over the downpour. "Remember when we first met? That feeling we got?" he said, jogging his memory.

How could he not? It was one of the strangest meetings ever, but he was glad nonetheless since he found a good friend and rival out of the blonde. "Yeah, why?" Sasuke questioned back, wondering where this was going.

"I got that feeling again at the park," the blonde said and then turned to give Sasuke a direct gaze, making the young man uncomfortable. "I was just wondering if you got that, too."

Sasuke's dark eyes widened a fraction of an inch and nodded. This caused Naruto to stop suddenly, grabbing his friend by the shoulders.

"Really? Who was it?"

Sasuke wondered if he should tell the boy or not, but considering how he sensed it too… "It was a girl," he murmured.

"A girl?" Naruto breathed his grip lessening. "What did she look like?"

The Uchiha glanced back in the direction of the village they just came from, remembering the falling pink petals. "She had pink hair like cherry blossoms and green eyes like sea foam," the young shinobi described as he remembered her.

"Like Sakura…huh?" Naruto repeated, also looking back. "She sounds pretty."

A small smile made its way to the Uchiha's lips at the comment. "She is."

And then they resumed their journey home again, both imagining the girl. During their musings, Naruto suddenly gave a sheepish giggle.

Sasuke lifted a brow. "What?"

The blonde tilted his head back while crossing his fingers behind the yellow mess. "I've always felt we were missing a third person," he said jovially. "Maybe this girl could fill in the gap!"

Listening to his friend, Sasuke gave a smirk. "I hope so," he said, recalling the glare she gave him.

"And if she can't, we'll help her!" Naruto declared excitedly. "Then we'll be one big family! We'll have a sister to add to our messed up family. Haha!"

As Naruto continued to ramble on with prospects of a third member to their team, Sasuke could only see the sorrowful gaze she held.

_0_

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_Collapse_

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_City of Rain, 7: 00 PM…_

_ …_

_ …_

_ …_

After sitting on the floor for nearly three hours, Sakura had gotten up to wash up, and had left to get some groceries. Currently, she was standing in the fruit and produce section, trying to decide what to get for her brother since she forgot yesterday. _'Honeydew,'_ she looked at the melon, then moved her gaze to the spiky fruit on the other side, _'Or pineapple?' _ Eventually, the girl decided on getting a honeydew melon since she didn't like pineapples. An hour later when she was done paying for her purchases, Sakura tried to put the bags on her left arm while trying to open the umbrella. In the end, someone in the parking lot saw her struggle and stopped to help her.

Now as she walked at turtle pace home, Sakura passed her school. Her eyes barely gave a glimpse until they snapped back. All the lights were off naturally, but for some reason the building looked even darker. She tilted her head back to look at the streetlamp she stood under, the bad feeling creeping up, and looked back at the windows. _'Can't I seriously get a break sometimes?' _she thought exasperatedly and glared at the building. _'It's always one thing after another.' _ None of the windows reflected the glare of the lights. It was as if the building itself was swallowing up all the lights in the vicinity. As she stood there in the rain under the yellow glowing light, once every few seconds, the beam would bounce off the scales of the demons surrounding her. Even though her seal wasn't as strong as the pendant, it was enough to block them. Sakura was actually debating whether she should go in and check the building out or not. Her eyes flashed to her right arm in uncertainty. _'I can't really do anything like this,' _she reasoned with herself. _'I still haven't even found a new bow yet.' _Her foot took a step back, deciding it would be better to alert the authorities instead.

…

…

…

_"Aaaaahhhhh!"_

_ …_

_ …_

_ …_

The girl froze in her tracks, alarmed at the scream. The bags in her arm dropped to the muddy ground long forgotten as Sakura raced her way swiftly to the school grounds. _'Let me make it in time!' _she thought, thinking of the person who screamed. The miasma around the school grew thicker the closer she got. Letting go of her umbrella, she used her arm to cover her nose, her head getting dizzier from the potent poisonous gas. When she rounded to the back of the school—right smack in the center of the shouki—the young girl heard immediately the sound of cracking and the sounds of something being ripped apart. Sakura wasn't one for queasiness, but she took the hit on this one. As she had peeked around the corner, her eyes caught a nearby demon ripping the skin off a person like it was a banana peel. A movement made her look down and Sakura realized that the person was still alive reaching out to her until the demon bit down on the neck, pulling out the muscle there. She turned her head away when the life left the person's eyes as the demon continued to eat. Upon closer inspection, she recognized that the corpse was of the girl who bullied her every day. As if the lights in the area had brightened up, her eyes soon got used to the darkness. The once blurred figures now becoming clearer and clear as the rest of corpses scattered were that of the girls of the group that followed that dead brunette.

Her stomach was in her throat, bile pushing its way into her mouth, but she kept it down. Sakura was definitely in shock. After she left school today, the teen had also assumed the group had gone home for the day. Her breathing suddenly became irregular, the amount of dead bodies causing her to have flashbacks and hyperventilate. Instinctively, the girl stepped back. Unfortunately, as she did so, Sakura accidentally stepped on a twig, the sudden snap alerting the demons of her presence.

_'Shit!'_

She turned to run, praying that her barrier was still working. But when she twisted around, a grotesque, misshapen, rotting face greeted hers as she gave a yelp and stumbled back. The demons were now advancing forward slowly, taunting her. Quickly jumping to her feet, Sakura tried to run away, only to fall down the small hillside beside the school.

"Ah!" Her body tumbled violently down, hitting fallen tree branches, rocks, and among other debris painfully. Along the way, her right arm came from its sling, slamming into the trunk of the tree, causing her shoulder to dislocate from the joint. The girl let out another scream from the forceful shift of her bones. Though she hit many things on her way down, the fall was short until she landed on a pile of what sounded like firewood with a heavy thump.

_Clack-clack!_

_ Clack!_

_ Clack!_

The girl laid there for a minute, trying to regain her equilibrium back due to the fluid being mixed around in her inner ear. She felt like her head was going to explode, but she knew she needed to get out before the demons could get her. Sakura struggled to get to her feet, still feeling light-headed, so she ended up falling back down onto the pile. When she did, her fingers were slick against the oddly smooth surface. Curious, she moved her gaze down and wished she hadn't. All around her were piles upon piles of bones—more than the twenty missing students. Then from above, she felt something warm hit her cooled flesh. Touching it, the girl realized it was blood and shifted her head up to look.

_Ba-bum!_

The pink-haired spiritualist thought she was going to die all over again. It was like she was reliving her worst nightmare and memory. It was uncanny how a circle of trees meeting at the top could look like a pit, revealing so very little sky. There were only bones and darkness that surrounded her with only the light above to comfort her. She clutched her head as if to keep her sanity, feeling a severe wave of claustrophobia coming on. It was just like before. Sakura was in the hellhole again, being buried alive.

_Thump!_

_ Thump-thump!_

_ Thump!_

Her matted dark pink hair snapped up at the approaching demons. She could feel their malice.

_**'They're going to eat you alive…'**_

_** …**_

_** …**_

_** …**_

_'No…'_

_ …_

_ …_

_ …_

Several demons lunged at her.

…

…

…

_**'They're going to kill you…'**_

_** …**_

_** …**_

_** …**_

_'No!'_

_ …_

_ …_

_ …_

Their mouths were bared, large sharp claws for ripping stretched.

…

…

…

A wicked smile stretches wide on bright red lips.

…

…

…

_**'They're going to bury you here…'**_

_** …**_

_** …**_

_** …**_

_** 'In this hole…'**_

_…_

_ …_

_ …_

_**'In this darkness…'**_

_…_

_ …_

_ …_

"NO!"

…

…

…

_Boom!_

_ …_

_ …_

_ …_

A large orb of light burst forth from the panicking girl's body, disintegrating the nearest demons to crisp. The young woman was holding her head for dear life, screaming as if she was the one being burned, not the abominations. The green of her eyes was flooded with red in an instant from the large rush of psychic powers. Because of the speed of red taking over her eyes, blood started trickling down her face in thick sticky streaks.

A giggle echoed in the back of her head. _**'That's right…let it out,' **_Inner Sakura pushed. _**Let it all out!'**_

"Gaaaahhhhh!"

The demons that were once fearless ran for their lives, petrified at the randomly unleashed powers. But it was no use. Her powers were beginning to become unstable. No single coherent thought was present in her unhinged mind that could stop it. Nothing was safe.

_Crack!_

_ …_

_ …_

_ …_

_ Crack!_

_ …_

_ …_

_ …_

_ Boom!_

The trees in the near vicinity broke into splinters or large pieces that flew into the remaining demons, impaling them. The bones around her legs melted from the pure white light that was now stretching in a large circumference, threatening to take out the school. Inside the orb, Sakura was still on her knees yelling her lungs out to stop the endless pain. It felt like her mind was getting ripped apart, her body burning from the inside out.

_'M-my head!' _she barely thought as another wave of pain came.

"Plea—aah!" Her body bent backwards at an odd angle to rid of the invasion. But her inner self was still pushing, forcing her way out the girl's body.

_**'LET ME OUT!'**_

_0_

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_0_

_Halt_

_0_

_0_

_0_

_ Boom!_

_ Boom!_

_ Boom!_

Kakashi was with Itachi, having arrived just in time at the station. The two stood outside, staring at the blinding white light on the other side of the city in shock and awe. After the burst was a giant shockwave which was followed by a tremor, shaking the earth dangerously and destroying the foundations of all the buildings—the city itself. The citizens were starting to come out of their houses, seeing what all the commotion was about in concern. Itachi, seeing this, grabbed an officer coming out of the station and ordered him to calm the citizens, telling them to stay inside.

"What the hell is going on?!" Kakashi shouted over the noise, his damp hair covering his activated left Sharingan. He had never seen anything like this before. The orb wasn't like any other chakra he felt before—not like the Kyuubi's or the other Bijuu. It felt pure and menacing at the same time.

Itachi returned to the older man's side, his kekkai genkai activated as well, the red now the dominating color. The two of them then took off to the roofs, weapons in hand. To answer his senpai's question, the young man said loudly, "I think it's Haruno Sakura!"

The silver haired man snapped his two colored gaze at the Uchiha. "The missing child? From that village?" the man yelled through his mask. "She wiped out the village?! She might wipe out this city, too, then!"

The Uchiha shook his head, black bangs matted to the side of his face. "I don't know; but we have to hurry or there won't be a City of Rain to worry about!"

* * *

Seriously...this HAS got to be some kind of record for me. Never in my time in fanfiction have I ever updated so quick! There's something wrong with me lol

Ugh...this chapter was a bitch to write! Anyways, next chapter FINALLY SHE'LL BE IN KONOHA CITY!  
And everything will slow down a bit. Whew!

Anyways, I want my New Year's gift to be MOAR reviews for my AWESOME updating skills! Buwahahaha!

BTW, FREAKIN AWESOME NARUTO CHAPTER RELEASE! ONE GUY SAID AND I paraphrase "I SWEAR to manga if that author doesn't ship Naruto and Hinata, I'LL STRANGLE MYSELF WITH TOILET PAPER!"

AND I RESPONDED LIKE THE GOOD CITIZEN THAT I AM "THAT BETTER BE SOME GOOD TOILET PAPER! LOL"

If you guys figure out what website I actually read the chapter, you might get a glimpse of my real face! O.o -gasps- Oooh!

Okay, folks! Happy New Years! Party safely! I'll be drinking at home where I'll be safe from the fuckin snow!

Sincerely,

Hoozuki


	7. Chapter VII: White

_Disclaimer: nope  
_

* * *

_Chapter VII_

_By: Hoozuki_

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_White_

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"_We have to learn to be our own best friends because we fall too easily into the __trap__ of being our own worst enemies.__"-Roderick Thorp_

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_March 29__th__, 8:30 PM…_

…

…

…

The Copy-Nin, Hatake Kakashi, and Uchiha prodigy, Uchiha Itachi, were in a dilemma. They has arrived at the middle school not long after the pink-haired spiritualist went out of control, but as mentioned earlier, they had a bit of a predicament. Currently, both comrades were standing outside a white translucent barrier staring hopelessly at the child who was writhing in agony several feet below them. Miraculously, the barrier stopped inches from the school. But like all manifesting chakra, the radiating energy was eroding the sides of the building closest to the orb. Even Kakashi and Itachi had to back up a bit because the white light was so strong. So here was their crisis: how could the two of them pass into the barrier without getting blast to bits?

"AAAAAHHHHH~!"

Her scream reverberated throughout the area, the vibrations causing the earth to shake even more, catching them off guard. Once the shinobi balanced themselves again, both men were scanning meticulously at anything that can give them a clue on how to get through the dangerous shield. Many of the animals that inhabited the hillside were running away in fright as well as the demons. One of the abominations that was near the edge of the barrier had managed to escape, but not unscathed. It had only gotten a few feet from the barrier before it suddenly let out an anguished cry and disintegrated into an ashy pile of dust. The two exchanged glances, confusion in their eyes, before turning back to the ashes. While they examined the pile, more critters were running away as birds flew from their nests in the trees into the skies unharmed. It was at this moment that they both noticed this detail.

Kakashi, with his eyes still on the girl, asked Itachi unsurely, "Do you think it'll work?"

The young man stared at the dust pile of what was left of the dead demon, then back at the raging barrier, nodding with certainty. "It should not affect us," he said with quiet confidence, stepping towards the white shield and feeling the strong chakra radiating at them.

The silver haired man took a deep breath and squared his shoulders. With little hesitation, the two Konoha shinobi pushed their way into the thick white wall, feeling the shield trying to force them back. It felt like tens of thousands of needles were flying at their bodies, stinging and pricking their skins. It was hard to move, each step taking a massive amount of effort. Their bodies were leaning forward, their heads blocked by their arms to stop the blast from blowing them backwards. It was a strange feeling. What they were wading through felt like a hail storm, but extremely scorching at the same time. But as soon as they were close enough to the girl, the light didn't feel as bad anymore. In fact, the heat they were feeling earlier felt somehow different. It was still warm, but it embraced them—encircled them with compassion and kindness—as if protecting them instead of pushing them away. When they made it to the center of the circle to the girl safely and saw her prone form in the fetal position, they were alarmed. Kakashi and Itachi rushed to her, and instantly their eyes softened at the sight, pity and sympathy reflecting in them.

Sakura was able to stop the takeover, but she wasn't all there. She was still crying tears of blood and holding her head, yet she didn't react to Kakashi and Itachi's presence. Her red eyes were staring at something off in the distance; her lips moving—saying something inaudibly. Her mind shut down in order to stop the barrier from progressing further.

Sighing quietly, the older Jounin placed his weapons back in place, and covered his Sharingan for the time being. Turning to the young man beside him, he murmured, "Looks like you were right—the chakra didn't hurt us." He watched as Itachi lowered himself to the crying spiritualist's level, tilting her head back carefully. "How did you know?"

Itachi turned his gaze back to his senpai after examining Sakura for a moment to make sure she was okay. "When that demon died," he explained. "I noticed all of the animals got away untouched except for that demon. I figured that since we didn't exactly harbor any malice like the demons did, we'd be safe."

Kakashi nodded as it made perfect sense since this was a defense mechanism to protect the priestess's body from being taken over by demons and spirits as well as anyone within the shield. Then he looked up lazily at their surroundings, wondering how they could stop her from using anymore of her powers. "Now how do we get her to stop is the next problem," Kakashi mumbled unenthusiastically. "Now that we know that she actually carries the blood of a Hakurei, how do we stop her chakra from destroying the city?"

The Uchiha head looked at the man imploringly. "What do you propose?"

One onyx eye dropped down on the unstable child, trying to remember his time with the Hakurei clan. "Even in her unconscious state, her body is instinctively trying to protect itself with this barrier. The only way for us to get her to release it is to wake her—almost like a genjutsu," the Copy-Nin clarified further with hands in his pockets. "What she is doing is a defense mechanism. If we could bring her back, the city should be safe. You should be able to enter her mind with your Mangekyou Sharingan."

The Uchiha nodded affirmatively before redirecting his red gaze into her own, the tomoe spinning rapidly. While the Uchiha entered the teen's mind, Kakashi watched over Sakura as if he should protect her with his life. But shaking his head abruptly of the feeling, Kakashi began to scan the area once more until he noticed the barrier expanding and hitting the school buildings.

_'Hurry Itachi…'_

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_Colorless_

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_ Drip…_

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_ Drip…_

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_ Drip…_

_ Crimson red eyes blinked twice, long black lashes brushing against flesh as the orbs tried to adjust to the darkness. The darkness itself was pure in the word, showing no light—not even a tiny speck or flicker. There was nothing, but the sounds of dripping. Itachi slowly moved his gaze left to right, trying to get a slight idea of where he was at; although, it was a lot harder than it looked. Usually it was very easy to control a person's subconscious whether he used genjutsu on them or entered their minds._

_ Tak!_

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_ Drip…_

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_ Tak!_

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_ The young man took cautious wary steps—each step followed by a drip. Keeping his guarded eyes ahead, looking out for anything that might happen, he wondered about the mind of the girl he was in. As mentioned earlier, it was fairly easy for Itachi to infiltrate anyone's mind and unlock all their secrets. Though he wasn't up to par with Yamanaka Inoichi of the Interrogation Unit, he had never had much trouble before. Before ending up in this sudden darkness, Itachi had to break through many layers of barriers—each one more difficult than the first to break. And then it was pitch black. The dripping in the background was the only thing that made the Uchiha aware of his surroundings. If he wasn't careful in here, he could become stuck with no way out._

_ Tak_

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_ Tak _

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_ Onyx brows were set in a suspicious frown as Sharingan eyes darted to both sides. _'The sounds are getting louder…'_ the young man thought guardedly while noticing that his footsteps were also getting quieter. It was at that point he noticed a dim red light flickering in front of him like an old sign. The closer he got to the ominous colored light, the louder and faster the dripping noise became. This continued on until he was in front of a single door illuminated by a hanging light bulb. The bulb flickered again out of nowhere, catching his attention. Tilting his head back slightly, his eyes widen a fraction, his mind now knowing the reason why the light was shining so unsteadily. Above him was a ceiling he had never perceived before, but that wasn't what disturbed him. The ceiling was a see through glass; and beyond it, floating in a pool of vermillion liquid was many mutilated lifeless corpses. And suddenly as he snapped his head to the direction from where he came, the place was lit up as if someone had turned on a switch with blood dripping from the ceiling and leaking through the walls of a dimly lit hallway. _

'So this whole time…!' _Itachi thought with horror, putting everything together. All those barriers he went through was to keep him from seeing this? He looked back at the door. _'No…there's something in that room…'

_Drip!_

_ A drop of liquid fell onto his face, startling him out of his reverie. Lifting a hand to his cheek, Itachi wiped the blood away calmly, not letting the horror show shake him. _

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_ Thump!_

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_ The Uchiha brought his attention back up to the loud thump and was again surprise by the face he saw. The blonde hair, green eyes, and similar facial structures…_ 'Is this Haruno Mebuki?'_ However, sooner than he could ponder on his thoughts, a voice broke through them echoing into his subconscious while the face disappeared amongst the mass of dead people. _

"Itachi…hurry up! She's not going to last much longer!"

_Remembering what he was originally there for, Itachi shook himself out of his stupor, his stoic façade back in place. He twisted around to face the door once more, a hand on the old doorknob. Just as he turned it, he barely glimpsed at the blinking neon red sign that read "The Red Room." The Uchiha shinobi braced himself—prepared should anything jump out at him—as the wooden barrier was pushed in._

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_**"LET ME OUT!"**_

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_Itachi stood at the doorway—and to say he was shocked would be the ultimate understatement of his already tiring day. Across the Red Room was Sakura in the fetal position, blocking the ruthless kicks that another Sakura was delivering_

_ Sakura didn't reply to the demand, only taking in the abuse. Inner Sakura growled through grinning teeth, kneeling down to bend her head over Sakura's ear. __**"I am going to kill every single person in this city, Sakura-chan, if you don't let me out," **__she whispered threateningly, stroking her face and leaving a trail of red on her cheek. _

_ Still, the young woman only curled more into herself, not wanting to look at her inner. "I don't want to hurt anymore people," came out her silent murmur._

_**"I won't hurt the city—just those people who saw you getting beat up and did nothing like that police chief!" **__Inner explained with a high squeak at the end, but her outer just kept shaking her head._

_ Still having not moved from his place, Itachi was confused and shocked as hell. So this was what Sakura was hiding. But which one was he supposed to wake up? The one on the floor or the one standing? His eyes went to the motionless one curled up into a ball. She would seem like the logical choice, but so was the other girl yelling to be let out who got fed up and started beating down on the other one again. On the other hand, as he observed her more closely, the angry cherry blossom was wearing a blood-stained white dress and looked to be drowning in the crimson fluid—the blood was just pouring from her very pores. Her long pink hair was matted together in sticky clumps while other parts of the locks were dried and crusted. His black eyes landed on her face, the bright red of her eyes catching his attention and he let out a quiet gasp. The action, however, stopped the bloody Sakura from kicking the helpless Sakura on the floor. When Inner Sakura had ceased as well, this caused for Outer Sakura to drop her arms and look up to see what had averted her other half's rage._

_ The other Sakura stared at him in astonishment, probably because no one until now ever entered this room; he assumed judging by the expressions. He then realized she was the real Sakura from her green eyes. He'd recognize them anywhere. _'This is the one!' _Itachi thought in relief and was about to open his mouth to speak until he felt himself being pulled into the room with the two look-alikes._

_ "Close the door!" the green-eyed Sakura yelled in panic, her hand reaching out to telepathically pull him in._

_ Inner Sakura, hearing this, pushed her outer away as she burst for the door which was inadvertently pulled when the Uchiha was yanked in. Itachi could see the dread in her face as the door got closer and closer to the frame as she ran for it._

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_ Slam!_

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_ Click!_

_ The door slammed closed, the sound of the lock settling in place bouncing off the walls of the quiet room, save for the light bulb buzzing. Itachi laid still—frozen in the position he landed in—as he watched with caution while Inner Sakura had lowered her head so that he couldn't see her expression. He glimpsed at her shaking hands and knew that she was furious and that he should move away now. As soon as he went to move, though, her face snapped to his and only her glaring red eyes were seen in the shadow of her face. It appeared that the other Sakura knew what was happening because he didn't when he was abruptly thrown against the wall painfully._

_ "Yamete!" outer Sakura shouted, getting to her feet clumsily only to crash back down, coughing up blood. When she had caught her breath, Sakura's voice came out hoarse and scratchy. "Stop…don't…hurt him…"_

_ The Uchiha had a hard time focusing on Sakura at the moment since he was pinned to the wall by an invisible force. He tried to tell himself to calm down, telling himself that he can't get hurt in here. But when Inner Sakura started to giggle quietly to herself, he now doubted that thought. The giggle grew into a harsh laughter until it ended suddenly after a minute. Slowly she lifted her head to give him a full view of her stained face, walking towards him with her right arm outstretched._

_ The malicious curve of her bright red lips twisted into an arrogant sneer. __**"Hurt him?"**__ she repeated innocently. __**"I should kill him!" **__And with that bold declaration, the open hand closed into a tight fist—the image of his stomach being torn apart and his lungs cut off dancing in her vermillion eyes._

_ Itachi let out an inaudible scream, unable to procure the oxygen necessary from his lungs. It felt like his insides were being shredded as his lungs burned painfully. In the back of his mind, he was yelling at himself not to pass out, but the pain was unbearable. He knew all of it was just in his head—or hers he wasn't sure anymore—and that he won't die from it, that he just needed to push past the searing agony. And then…_

_ All of that anguish was gone._

_ His body crumpled to the ground heavily in an aching mess. His lungs pushed hard to pump in oxygen, catching his breath greedily. Struggling up to his elbows, Itachi saw Inner Sakura pinned to the rotted wooden floor with the Sakura he knew on top, keeping her down. The girl above shifted her head a bit to look at him._

_ "D-Daijoubu?" the fifteen year old asked softly._

_ The Uchiha replied with a shaky nod, still out of breath. "You need to stop the barrier," Itachi told her gruffly._

_ The young woman frowned in bewilderment. "What do you mean?"_

_ "You are going to destroy the City of Rain if we don't stop you."_

_**"Ha! Good riddance!"**_

_The two swiftly darted their gazes to the pinned girl who currently held nothing but contempt for her other half at the moment. The smile was no longer present as lips curled down into a harsh frown with ruby eyes glistening with fury. When she moved her body a bit, Outer Sakura gripped harder, determined to keep her in place. This didn't go unnoticed by Itachi as he watched how the two interacted. _'It's like one is good and the other evil,' _he thought, and then shook his head to amend his former observation. _'No…more like the angry Sakura is her real self and the one I met is the one with self-control over her emotions.'

_"Haven't enough people died because of us?!"_

_ Inner Sakura tore her gaze away from those green eyes only to land on the young Uchiha. If anything, seeing him seemed to fuel her rage. __**"You!"**__ she growled accusingly. __**"How the fuck did you get in here?! You AND your damn brother always interfering!"**_

_At this, Itachi stared at the two, curious as to how she knew he had a little brother. His Sharingan shifted to Sakura and judging by the similar baffled look she was giving him, she didn't know anything about it, either. But right now that was the least of his worries. They really needed to break the barrier and stop it from wiping out the city._

_ "Sakura-chan, we don't have time for this," Itachi stated calmly, slowly getting to his feet. "I need you to come with me now. We have a city to save."_

_ The rosette now looked torn between reconciling with her Inner self and leaving with him. In the end, Sakura got up, leaving her Inner on the floor in shock and betrayal. As the Uchiha and Outer Sakura went to the door and leave, Inner Sakura quickly scrambled to her feet and pulled her other half back to face her._

_**"Are you really choosing those people over me?! That man?!" **__Inner accused—Outer Sakura's real feelings coming out—as the bloody tears were now running crystal clear down her cheeks. __**"After all they did to you?! To us?! You're still going to protect them?!"**_

_For a moment, Itachi watched Sakura watching her inner self, not saying a word. Then he heard a tired sigh from her as the pink haired spiritualist placed a hand on the bloodied cheek gently. The girl didn't react to the touch, but that didn't deter the outer half as she leaned in to place a kiss on Inner Sakura's forehead. While all of this was happening, Itachi had turned away out of respect, not wanting to intrude. Though he couldn't help his curiosity when he sneaked a peek from his peripheral vision. _

_ "I'll see you again," he heard Sakura murmur before she back away from the crimson-stained cherry blossom. When she turned back to him with the same blank expression he saw the first time they met, Itachi gave a nod while weaving a hand sign as they left the room. He formed the last sign; the room and the hallway were out of nowhere being blinded by a bright light, bringing them back to the present time._

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Kakashi instantly let out a sigh of huge relief when Itachi finally came out of his trance, successfully waking the Haruno. His kouhai was breathing heavily from excessive use of the Sharingan and was obviously spent. The onyx eye landed on the girl in the Uchiha's arms who was now consciously trying to regain control of the barrier. The child struggled to her feet, but it was no use. Her body was almost out of chakra as well. The teen landed on her knees, extending both arms out slightly above her head. The silver haired Jounin could tell she was having difficulties reducing the circumference of the wall as the strain caused for blood to seep through her clenched teeth. But Kakashi could see that it was working when the red in her eyes was receding from the pupils all the way to the irises until there was nothing but green left.

"Grrrrrraaaaaaahhhh~!" Sakura growled loudly, trying dissolve the last of the destructive barrier. When the shield was small enough, Sakura formed the hand sign for 'release.' "Kai!"

The barrier disappeared completely; the rosette dropped to her hands to the rough ground as her body slumped forward. Loud hacking filled the suddenly quiet night, blood staining the melted white surface of the bones.

Itachi clamped a hand of approval onto her shoulder, his kekkai genkai now deactivated and his eyes returned back to obsidian. "Well done, Sakura-chan," he praised tiredly, still panting himself.

The girl merely nodded, acknowledging his comment.

"Sakura…" Kakashi called out quietly, kneeling in front of the spiritualist while putting a gentle hand on her other shoulder. When she looked up to the sound of his calm voice, he could see the confusion in her eyes, not recognizing him as someone she met before. He lifted his bangs, angling his left Sharingan at her, the tomoe swirling speedily. He watched as bewilderment disappeared, replaced with sudden blankness while her green eyes rolled to the back of her head, her body falling forward against him. Replacing his silver hair over his left eye, Kakashi, gingerly lifting the petite fifteen year old into his arms, stood along with Itachi. His eye softened at the single bead of tear at the corner of her eye. Again the feeling came back. The same with Naruto and Sasuke, Kakashi felt protective of the girl as soon as his gaze landed on her. Tilting his head back with a sigh, he turned to look at the Uchiha shinobi beside him.

"Let's go home…"

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_Pale_

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_April 4__th__, Midnight, Team Kakashi…_

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The stars were glittering brightly against the midnight blue blanket of the skies like a million diamonds. The weather was getting warmer now, though there was still the slight chill lingering at night. Fireflies came out to light the path for lost travelers as crickets and frogs sang the song of the forest rhythmically and harmoniously. Embers of the warm campfire cracked soothingly, heating up the three-man cell surrounding it. As soon as Kakashi returned from his travels last Monday, Team Kakashi had another mission; but this time, it was a request from the Hokage to escort an important ambassador back to his hometown in Tetsu no Kuni. Now they were on their way home and were about ten hours away. The team would have continued if Naruto hadn't complained so much about being tired, so they camped out for the night.

Sasuke was wide awake still lying on his left side in his sleeping back facing the blazing fire while playing with the heart locket he had for a week now. Even though he and Naruto had discussed many times about the girl Sasuke saw, the young man never showed him or mentioned the little trinket. He didn't know why, but he didn't want Naruto to know of the personal things about the rosette as he did. Whenever the blonde or their sensei was near the vicinity or awake, Sasuke never took the locket out. He did, however, always wore it around his neck to make sure it was safe instead of his pocket. The feeling of the cool metal against his chest reassured him—this way he'd know it was there instead of losing it during a fight.

But ever since they had their conversation, the youngest Uchiha had felt more and more impatient. He wanted to see her again. He wanted to know why he was feeling this way. And it wasn't just him, he noticed. Naruto and Kakashi have been antsy lately as well. The blonde was quiet and lost in his thoughts most of the time unless they were on a mission; and the Jounin was spacing in and out of conversations.

The locket shut with a soft click as it was placed behind the blue shirt. Sasuke twisted around to lie on his back, settling into the sleeping bag comfortably as he placed his hands behind his head. His obsidian orbs stared distantly at the sky, his mind lost in a million thoughts.

_'Maybe we'll meet her again soon,' _he figured hypothetically the reason for their anxiousness, taking a glimpse at his sleeping companions. Shutting his eyes, Sasuke let sleep take hold of him.

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_Monday, April 5__th_

_Konoha General Hospital, Konoha City_

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_ Ba-bum!_

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In the darkness floating peacefully was Sakura who was blissfully enjoying the quiet peace. For once in her fifteen years of life, Haruno Sakura was taking pleasure in being alone. There was no painful memories flashing by; no responsibilities of being the Priestess of Hakurei to weigh her down; no demon or spirit to worry about stealing her life for their own twenty-four seven; no inner selves—especially her inner self—to bother her; and finally…no promises that were nearly impossible to keep due to childhood traumas. In her own little corner of her mind was just tranquil and peaceful—

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_Beep!_

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—silence.

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Pink brows furrowed at the interruption. Not wanting to wake up just yet—not when she finally achieved silent isolation—Sakura sank further down in the watery blackness.

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_Beep!_

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Just a little further, her mind thought as flowing halo light pink locks gradually turned ink black from the darkness trying to suck her in.

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_'I don't want to wake up…'_

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_ Beep!_

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A soft glowing light shined down on her form, filtering through the void stubbornly. Pink lashes fluttered shut, pushing out the light, but it was futile. The ray of shine sparkled even brighter as the sounds of _beeps! _became clearer.

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_Beep!_

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Reluctantly, delicate lilac eyelids were forced open to the relentless light. Sea foam eyes adjusted painfully from the sudden shine and tried to focus on the bright focal point. Through the focal point, the darkness was dissipating as if she was leaving a tunnel. Eventually, her ears picked up on other sounds such as a constant hum of murmurs, birds chirping, children laughing, and, of course, the inferno ceaseless beeping. Curious now, Sakura reached for the light, wondering where she was at. Soon the light softened into a steady stream of daylight and the focal point was refocused into what looked like black speckles on white. Around her, something smelt clean…sterile?

Her eyes narrowed into tired confusion the longer she stared at it. _'Sore ha…?'_

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_ Beep!_

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She wanted to move her head, but just thinking about the effort caused her head to ache. In fact, her entire body felt like lead and numb, too. Her chest expanded to take in a deep breath, but it felt taut and restrained while her nose felt like something was shoved up her nostrils.

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_Beep!_

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Now annoyed by the nonstop beeping, the rosette turned her head slowly to her left, seeing a heart rate monitor and a bag of IV drip beside her bed. Moving her eyes further to the right, she saw an open window letting in fresh air as the sheer curtains billowed softly. By the left bottom panel of the tall rectangular window, Sakura saw the top of a tree with several leaves being pulled off by the wind while the rest of the window scene opened up to the bright blue sky and flying singing birds. Enthralled by the serene vista before her, the teen wanted to go to the window to see the whole landscape up close. Her left hand twitched to grab the bedrail until she noticed a strange sensation of something lodged in the skin of her hand. Sakura glanced down and realized that it was the needle tip of the IV tube and in her nose was a nasal cannula. Slowly with ache, the young woman pulled off the tubes and the needle while ignoring the flat line noise that machine made when she ripped off the tape from her chest and temples.

With a strained grunt, Sakura sat up using the bedrail as a grip and support. When she was fully upright, she spotted that her chest was bandaged thoroughly and her right arm was given a better cast. The teen was pretty sure that there were more patches of gauze on her bruised body, but she wasn't really concerned with that at the moment. Swinging one leg over at a time, her feet touched the cold tile floor and limped her way over to the open porthole. Her breath hitched in the back of her dry and sore throat at the majestic view. The sky was so open with many large towering buildings trying to reach it. The city was enormous and diverse; from her window scene, she could see it in its entirety. On the edge of the city behind tall gates, colossal ancient trees stood like guardians, watching over its people. Here and there in the city stood a small cluster of those regal trees—some with stairs and houses and other buildings built around the trunks. Sakura tilted her head back to see how high the trees went. From her point of view, it looked as if they could have hid in the clouds. The feeling of inferiority instantly weighed on her as she felt extremely tiny compared to the trees. Looking at the houses again, to her, the houses was so tiny that it seemed that instead of being normal sized people, the citizens looked like faeries amongst the leaves.

Down below, Sakura could see people coming in and out of the hospital, some sad some happy. The gate of the facility was a few yards ahead and there was a mother standing with her son. The child was jumping and screaming joyously when his father dressed in many bandages picked him up and twirled him around. For once, she couldn't get angry. The pink haired girl just suddenly felt calm and serene. Something about this city made her nostalgic, yet she still had no idea where she was. All she knew was that she was in a hospital in a very large city. The last thing she remembered was a swirling red eye before losing consciousness. Next thing she knew she was awake here and now staring out the window.

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_Clack-Clack!_

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A gasp was heard.

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The noise made Sakura jump out of her reverie and snap back to her current surroundings. She was so caught up in the moment that she forgot that there might be people in a hospital this huge. The young woman turned around quickly to see a nurse with long platinum blonde hair and pupil-less baby blue eyes who was presently wearing an expression of astonishment on her face and looked to be her age. Sakura's body froze. All she could focus on was the blonde's hair. That blonde hair only served as a reminder of the woman who called herself her mother and the source of her trauma.

The blonde bent down to pick up the clipboard she dropped hastily. "I need to inform Tsunade-sama and Shizune-san of your recovery," the nurse mumbled to herself and was about to take leave when she saw how distraught her patient was. Worriedly, she approached Sakura with hands out ready to support her. "You should sit; we didn't think you'd wake up, considering how severe your condition was."

But Sakura wasn't listening anymore. As soon as the young nurse placed a hand on the teen's shoulder, a high-pitched scream erupted from her as she roughly shoved the nurse away. Her sudden burst of emotions effected anything breakable like the window panes, the glass cup, etc. to shatter. The nurse was startled and scared, not having seen this kind of reaction from a patient before. The blonde rushed to her feet to call anyone near the room to assist her with the frantic fifteen year old.

"Get away from me!" Sakura shouted loudly when the nurse tried to approach her a second time.

The blonde raised her hands in defense. "Sweetheart, calm down," the nurse said, trying to calm the girl down. "I'm not going to hurt you."

Her reassurance fell on deaf ears as the girl threw her into the heart monitor, breaking it, without touching her. Because of the ruckus Sakura was making now getting out of hand, more and more people were arriving to help restrain the panicking patient.

"No!"

Someone or everyone had grabbed hold of her failing arms and tried to push her down. But because her right arm was in the cast, her wild arms was able to knock back some of the hospital workers. The roughness of the grips had made her more nervous and terrified. The sensation of many hands touching her and the suffocating large mobs of random people was too much as the night of her capture and burial flashed through her mind. There were many faces back then as well—faces of people she grew up knowing taking hold of her hands and feet, binding them while others took advantage of her twelve-year-old body. Amidst her recalling, in the present, a hand had slid lower on her thigh accidentally and grasped tightly during the struggling which brought her back to her current nightmare.

"No! Don't touch me! AH!"

In the background of the noisy room, a male voice growled in frustration. "Where the hell's Tsunade-sama?! We need some help, damn it!"

"We can't hold her down!"

"What's going on?"

Everyone's attention was averted briefly, but it was enough for Sakura to try to sit up again. Her chakra was accidentally let loose; the burst tossing people across the room into walls, cabinets, and the door. But the hospital team reacted swiftly, pushing Sakura down once more. From the doorway, Uchiha Itachi rushed over to the first blonde nurse, and helped her up.

A nearby nurse answered in a huffed breath, "I-Ino-san was checking up on Haruno-san when she went berserk. We don't know how it happened."

Itachi nodded, and then looked back down at the young nurse he helped, asking, "Ino-chan, can you elaborate?"

"Well, she froze when she saw me," Ino explained in a tone as if it was strange that a patient would do that. "But when I went to help her to her bed, Sakura-san screamed."

"Sou ka," he said quietly, staring at the berserk girl. "Have you tried to restrain her with your _Shintenshin _jutsu?"

The girl rubbed the back of her head gingerly, feeling a bump forming before answering. "We've been at it for five minutes now; but every time we go to restrain her, she somehow pushes us away," Ino responded honestly. With the rosette struggling so much, there's no way she could take over her body. "Is Tsunade-sama on her way?"

The oldest Uchiha confirmed her inquiry with a nod. "Let me try," he suggest, and moved before Ino could protest. He had pushed his way through the circle of hospital assistants where Sakura was pinned to the floor, though her legs were still free and kicking anyone who laid a hand on her. He hovered over her and gripped her face gently to make her look at him. This act brought on another bout of shrieks.

"Sakura-chan, look at me," he commanded but got no response. If anything, the cherry blossom's reaction got worse when he touched her.

_Crash!_

_ Thump!_

_ Thump!_

The two men clenching her arms were lifted and tossed by the unseen force as Sakura jostled up desperately to the window only to be pulled back by the Uchiha.

"Leave me alone!"

Her right leg kicked backwards unexpectedly into the older man's stomach, sending him into the others. Itachi let out a suppressed pained grunt, falling to the ground. He could see she was making another attempt at escaping and ordered for the others to not let her go. Heeding his commands, the staff all got up at once to stop her. In all truthfulness, none of the medics like holding a patient down like this. It was uncomfortable and disheartening to see them suffering and acting out like Sakura did; but this child who was crying and yelling for dear life seemed to be truly afraid of them like they might hurt her or something.

"Let me go…let me go…Let me go!" Sakura rambled on, coming in and out of her hallucinations, shaking her head side to side. "NO~! Don't—ah~! Please!"

By the door, Ino looked at the sobbing girl uneasily. She didn't know what to do. She wasn't as good as Shizune yet and could only heal minor wounds. She never had a patient that went crazy on her before and was frankly scared out of her mind. If Tsunade didn't show up soon, she would have to do something about the situation. Her pupil-less eyes glanced at Itachi unsurely. If he could barely stop her, what made her think she could?

_'Besides…' _ Ino stared at the rosette again with pity in her eyes. _'I don't think I could let myself do that to her…not when I looked after her for a week.'_

"Ino."

A hand clamped down on her shoulder confidently. The blonde head tilted up to the left and an exhale of alleviation was released. Beside her stood the Fifth Hokage, Tsunade, and her assistant Shizune, a brunette with black orbs. The world's number one doctor stepped calmly into the chaotic room as her assistant handed her a syringe filled with clear liquid.

Fierce brown almond eyes stared at the thrashing girl, and was surprised by how strong she was. "Minna! Stand back!" she ordered in authoritative voice.

The medics twisted around awkwardly, confused. As their gazes landed on their blonde Hokage, however, the whole room swiftly moved out of the way, knowing not to question the Slug Princess. This seemed to catch the pink haired teen's attention as she sat up quickly at the open opportunity. Sensing that no one was going to stop her this time, Sakura stood up and placed her hand on the window frame when she felt a strange presence. She turned around, seeing Tsunade standing over her domineeringly. Itachi and Ino frowned when they saw all the color drain from her face in pure fear.

Sakura's legs shook badly; her body sliding back down to the floor with hands hovering protectively near her face like a child. "G-go-go-gomen…" her voice whispered so shakily, making the Godaime's brows furrow in confusion as the woman wondered where all that energy went.

But the Hokage decided to ignore the random apology, resolving to inject her with the tranquilizer quickly and painlessly to calm her down and knock her out. As she neared the girl in steady steps, her brown eyes could see true terror in the wide emerald orbs. Her hand raised to inject the medicine into her neck, not stopping when Sakura flinched and clenched her eyes shut.

_'It'll be alright,'_ Tsunade thought sympathetically.

The bottom pink lips trembled uncontrollably before they parted slightly.

…

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_"P-please don't hurt me, Okaasan!" _

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_ …_

The needle was already pushing the tranquilizer drug into her system when her words caused everyone to still in their movements. Their one and only thought was "What did she just say?" But the only answer they received was the loud flapping of the curtains billowing harshly.

...

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_1: 30 PM…_

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Sasuke and the rest of his teammates finally got home earlier this morning at eleven AM. They only got one hour of freaking sleep when Kakashi decided that it was time for them to get up. So now the permanent frown on his face grew deeper. Currently, the fourteen year old boy was on his way to the hospital since he needed to do a check-up every time they got done with a request. It was a pain in the butt; the check up was a precaution that the village needed to take considering many of the students and professionals were always off in foreign countries doing requests and missions. Who knows what kind of diseases were out there? Probably some he has never even heard of. But still, it was just plain troublesome. Because their team had just barely came back, Sasuke was still tired and grumpy. He would've stayed asleep in his bed today if it weren't for his older brother bugging him about going to the hospital.

_"Sasuke, you need to get checked! What if you caught something? Even I, an ANBU for eight years now, must be examined for my future missions."_

The young man rolled his eyes, remembering his annoying big brother nagging him this morning about it while bragging and flaunting his rank at him. He grunted in aggravation, grumbling about not being able to sleep in, jamming his hands deeper into his pockets—a habit of his to not outwardly show his emotions since he was an Uchiha.

"Stop! Come back!"

The shouting plea caught his attention as Sasuke brought his gaze from the ground to the towering white building ahead. At the same time, someone rudely bumped into him, making him stumble back a bit. Though the person didn't stop to apologize, he didn't notice because he was gawking at the window on the fourth floor. Slight astonishment was on his handsome face when he saw the Hokage was practically hanging out of the window like a maniac while waving a syringe in her hand. He was steadily backing away, praying that she wouldn't notice him, so that he wouldn't get thrown into an unknown predicament. Sadly Tsunade's hawk-like eyes spotted him as she let out a shriek and pointed the syringe at him.

"Gah! You!" she shouted obnoxiously. "Uchiha Number 2! You go catch that girl!"

Signature black eyes blinked slowly before finely shaped brows frowned at the demand. "What girl?" Sasuke shouted back, and then added, "Why can't you do it?"

From where he stood, the Uchiha could see the vein pop from her head angrily as she threw the syringe at him which landed by his feet. His left eye twitched at the syringe before sending a death glare to the Godaime. "Just do it! It's the girl that bumped into you!" Her arms waved wildly, emphasizing her words. "She's got pink hair!"

At the word 'pink,' Sasuke didn't even wait for Tsunade to continue and booked back the way he came. His legs carried him to the trees and rooftops above the city to get a better view. A girl with pink hair shouldn't be too hard to spot especially in a village that consisted of mostly dark-haired people. All along the way, Sasuke saw people pulling each other up, grumbling and mumbling. Then realizing the direction he was headed in, Sasuke willed his legs to run faster to the gates of the Konoha.

"Hey! Watch it!"

"Ah!"

"Itai!"

Up several feet, the young man could see a bright pink blob pushing and shoving the citizens out of the way until it hopped onto the same rooftop he was on. Sasuke halted to a stop, not believing that she was really here. The girl he wanted to meet again was in his city. She, too, seemed to sense his presence as she paused momentarily. As the girl twisted around hastily, Sasuke could see her green eyes broaden in shock. It was then he became aware of her attire. The top of her hospital gown had slid down to her waist to reveal a well-endowed chest wrapped in bandages all the way to her right shoulder. The crook of the right side of her neck had a large piece of gauze taped to it which was now soaked red; her right arm was out of its sling with a huge cast on it while the rest of her body carried patches of bandages here and there. She glared at him like she did the first time they met before taking off again.

"Oi!" Sasuke yelled, reaching out to her. Seeing she was going to listen to him, he clicked his tongue in frustration and took off after her again. "Chikushou!"

The large gates were nearing quickly as the two hopped from rooftop to rooftop. But something happened when the girl landed on a wide tree branch near the gate station. Her body was suddenly swaying dangerously and her foot soon lost its grip on the branch. She fell from the tree and was fast-approaching the hard cobbled pavement. The Uchiha swore again; his heart beating wildly, sending adrenaline to the rest of his body. Concentrating hard, Sasuke pushed chakra to the bottom of his feet, propelling his body after her with arms open to catch her.

_'Come on!' _ Sasuke inwardly urged.

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Eight feet…

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His Sharingan was unconsciously activated…

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Six feet…

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Her body was falling fast…

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Five feet…

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_'Yes!'_

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His strong arms wrapped around her thin unconscious body securely as the impact made them roll a few times until they landed in front of the gates with Sasuke taking the brunt of the fall. From the gate station he could hear someone exclaim in excitement. Two pairs of feet were running towards him hurriedly.

"Oi Sasuke!" a young man named Izumo with brown covering his right eye, wearing a bandana, in his twenties called. "You alright?!"

"You got her just in the nick of time!" the brunette's partner, Kotetsu—an unruly black spiky haired man with a bandage across his nose, whistled.

When both were beside the Uchiha, Sasuke had already sat up and positioned the girl comfortably in his arms. "Kotetsu, Izumo—tell Tsunade I've got the girl," Sasuke told them gruffly, getting the feeling that he'll really be needing the check-up this time for broken ribs and a splitting headache among other things.

Izumo nodded cooperatively. "Okay, sure thing," he responded in a friendly manner. However, he shared a glance between his friend as the two shinobi stared at the sleeping face, intrigued by the pale petal shade hair. "But who is she?"

Sasuke stiffened at the inquiry for a second until he settled his eyes back on the fifteen year old, taking the opportunity to look at her features up close. She was a lot prettier at this distance, he thought, remembering how she blended in with the Sakura trees. Even though her countenance was pale, there was still a light rosy blush on the apples of her cheeks. Below her long pink lashes were lavender circles on her bottom eyelids from the lack of sleep. At first her skin had appeared flawless, but upon closer scrutiny Sasuke could see remnants of old fading scars. His heart suddenly felt heavy upon finding them like the scars were something he wasn't supposed to see.

Kotetsu lifted a brow at the boy's quietness—not that that wasn't unusual. "Sasuke?"

Sasuke blinked, remembering he was in company of others. Finally in a soft whisper, he murmured, "I don't know…"

* * *

Sorry for the late update and that the chapter isn't interesting. Next chapter I'm having Sakura getting acclimated to Konoha. Anyways, I've been getting ready for my Spring semester and it's a pain in the fuckin ass. Everything costs so fuckin much man! Ugh.

Not only that, but I'm sick and couldn't update faster. Of course, since I'm Vietnamese, my mom went ape shit on my back (an old Asian remedy to get rid of a cold is to take eucalyptus oil and rub it with a quarter along your ribs where your lungs are to help sweat out the toxins-it does work! **BUT IT LOOKS LIKE I GOT RUN OVER BY AN 18 WHEELER WHICH I TELL PEOPLE FOR KICKS AND GIGGLES IF THEY SEE MY MARKINGS LOL).**

**IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ!**

Like I said in my earlier updates, I'll be starting school this coming Tuesday the 15th, so my updates will be slower.

Also, I'm trying to get back into painting so I could start commissioning my art again to help my family out. I would be extremely appreciative if you guys could help me out when I do start commissioning again or if you know anyone who would like to (I paint traditionally in watercolor and acrylic as well as pastels; style anime and impressionism-my art sucks right now since I haven't submitted anything in forever!).

So those are the two reasons why my updates will be slower. My therapist told me it would help me with my depression if I started up my hobbies again ergo-writing fanfiction again! XD

Anyways, that's all I wanted to say and hoped that those who stuck with me so far will do so in the future and be patient with me as I am trying to attain my Pharm D. So please stick around to see how the story ends!

Be on the lookout for the new chapter. Please be kind and review. Feedback always serves as a great motivator for people like me. :)

Sincerely,

Hoozuki


	8. Chapter VIII: New Assignment

_Chapter VIII_

_By: Hoozuki_

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_New Assignment_

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"_Don't turn down an __assignment__ where you might learn something __new__.__"_

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_Monday, April 5__th_

_Konoha General Hospital, 2: 15 PM_

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When Sasuke stepped through the threshold of the room, many heads snapped in his direction, eyes staring intensely at the girl in his arms. The hospital staff had already been dismissed, returning back to their duties. The only people left in the room were Tsunade, Shizune, Ino, and Itachi. He caught the eyes of his older sibling who nodded in approval. Tsunade only watched in silence as he trudged his way to the white bed, placing the cherry blossom gently down onto the mattress while Shizune and Ino looked on worriedly. Even though she was knocked out by the drug, the girl still seemed to have some inner turmoil that she was dealing with as she slept. When he bent back up, the Hokage's eyes suddenly widen at him, making him raise his eyebrows in question.

"What?" Sasuke grunted rudely, uncomfortable with such a direct gaze.

Tsunade went up to him and pulled on his white shirt. The action caused him to bring his gaze from her face and down to her hand. It was then that he noticed it. There was a large blood stain from where the girl had leaned on him. When he looked up swiftly, the blonde haired woman was already at the bedside, examining the neck wound. She clicked her tongue in frustration a moment later.

"Shizune, give me a hand," Tsunade ordered to which the brunette responded to quickly; and was on the other side of the bed with her hands on top of one another before her, glowing a green light.

The younger Uchiha, now alarmed at the anxiousness in her tone, went over to see what was going on only to be yelled at by the Godaime.

"You're in the way, Uchiha!" she snapped at him, and then looked at the other blonde in the room. "Ino, get Shizune a basin of water; and then do Sasuke's check-up."

Black brows furrowed deeper at the order. "I don't need a check-up," he retorted back, and this time was able to see what all the fuss was about. From where he stood at the end of the bed since Tsunade pushed him out of the way, there was a large crescent mark from the crook of her neck all the way to her right shoulder. The wound looked foul and infected; it had reopened probably during her struggle as blood and pus began to seep through the sutures. The crescent shape was an odd one in itself. He squinted his eyes to get a better look, and noticed that the shape was jagged and crooked. It was as if she was bitten upon. With the fact of something trying to eat her looming over and over in his head, Sasuke then saw wisps of purple-black smoke coming from the wound.

"What the hell is that smoke coming from her neck?" Sasuke bluntly asked, pointing to the angry injury.

The three medical shinobi whipped their heads to the open wound, now seeing the smoke. Itachi walked up beside his little brother, concerned about the girl. "Is it poison?"

Upon hearing Itachi saying that it might be poison, the younger sibling remembered the mission they had in Yamakawa no Sato. The spiritualist was there before them; he recalled her already killing the demon by the time he had arrived and was covered in a lot of blood.

Ino noted Sasuke's sudden silence and asked, "Sasuke-kun, you okay?"

"I think it's from the miasma," Sasuke blurted out of the blue, baffling everyone.

Tsunade straightened up, letting Shizune take over. "Shouki?"

The young man moved his head up and down affirmatively while his dark eyes glimpsed quickly at the pink haired teen's contorted face which now had tiny beads of perspiration sliding down her temples. "She was the girl who killed that demon in Yamakawa," the Uchiha answered quietly.

"Tch!" Tsunade clicked her tongue again, biting the nail of her thumb nervously out of habit. "This isn't good."

"Why? What's wrong, Tsunade-sama?" Ino inquired with concern because she's never seen the Godaime so uncertain about treating a patient since Rock Lee. "Can't we just remove the poison with the _Saikan Chushutsu Jutsu_?"

The Fifth Hokage didn't seem to hear her as she was lost in her thoughts.

The older Uchiha sibling, taking notice of her distress, walked over and placed a hand on her shoulder gently. "Godaime-sama?"

Sasuke frowned at the Godaime's behavior, wondering if the girl's condition was that bad. Taking a look at her, he found his answer. Yes; it was that bad, he realized. Inhaling the poisonous gas was already bad news; but to have the shouki literally injected directly by the demon was far worse and potent. All she could do was stall the spreading process, Sasuke knew, until she could find a solution to it.

The older blonde jumped out of her thoughts from the contact, and looked straightforwardly at him with a pensive expression. After a moment, she moved her gaze to the young Yamanaka. "Ino, just go ahead and examine Sasuke, and—"

"What—" Sasuke started, but Tsunade continued on as if he didn't interrupt her.

"—then bring him back to this room when you're done," she finished.

Sasuke was taken aback. "Bring me back?" the fourteen year old repeated. "Nande?"

Truthfully, Tsunade was tired of answering or clarifying questions today. Too much happened in the span of two hours and all she wanted to do was sit down with a warm cup of sake with a large bottle beside her to refill it. A heavy sigh passed through her pink colored lips slowly to control her temper. Once again, Tsunade looked at Sasuke with serious brown eyes. "Since you two seem to know each other," the woman started slowly so he could register, "I want you to be here to explain the situation to her when she wakes."

Sasuke grinded his teeth together to prevent some smartass remark from escaping his lips. He didn't really want to babysit anyone today since he was still tired from the trip and was now bruised. He just wanted to go home and sleep. Then again, if he stayed, he could ask her some questions that were bugging him since Yamakawa.

"I understand," he responded robotically, and then followed the blonde his age out of the room, leaving the other three to discuss whatever things they needed to. As he followed Ino to the examination room a little ways down the hall, Sasuke found himself wondering what had transpired the led the girl to attempt a desperate escape in her present condition. It's not like she could get very far what with the way she was dressed and people noticing the blood. As soon as the thought of blood entered his brain, the image of the crimson liquid being diluted by the rain popped into his head soon after. His fists clenched tighter in reflection. The amount of the liquid they found that day was too much for anyone to survive. It was impossible. If anything, they would've been too weak to move at all with fatigue weighing them down. _'So how did she survive?' _the younger Uchiha pondered deeply.

_Click!_

Sasuke blinked at the sound which pushed his thoughts away and brought him back to the real world. He looked around his surroundings and realized that they were already in the room, and Ino just turned on the light switch. In front of him, she stood by the examination bed with a look of concern etched on her face.

"Sasuke-kun? Are you sure you're okay?" the Yamanaka heiress asked. "You've been spacing out lately."

The said young man shook his head of all thoughts of the pink haired girl down the hall, knowing he'll have time for that later. '_But first things firsts,' _he inwardly decided. Sasuke sat himself on the bed, the paper crinkling loudly in the otherwise quiet room beneath his weight. As he unbuttoned and removed his shirt, he could feel some of his ribs scream in protest, and grunted. Relaxing as he closed his eyes, Sasuke said nothing as the blonde medic went to work on healing his broken body. Feeling the warmth the chakra emanated, the young man reopened his eyes, watching Ino's every movement as her hands hovered over his ribs. He was watching everything from below his lashes yet he wasn't actually registering what she was doing. Something on her arm had caught his attention. There, on her the forearm of her right limb, was a large growing purple bruise.

"Ino," he called her, ceasing the girl's movements.

Ino looked up at him curiously, wondering if she did something wrong. "What is it, Sasuke-kun?" Silently, the young man pointed to her bruise. Understanding the unvoiced question, Ino stopped completely as she absentmindedly cradled her arm, remembering the commotion earlier. The girl had looked so terrified of her. "Sakura-san did this to me."

"Sakura-san?" Sasuke reiterated curiously. _'She's named after the flower she resembles?'_

The Yamanaka could hear the incredulity and amazement all at once in his tone as she looked at him wide-eyed. "Yeah!" she responded matter-of-factly. "Her name is Haruno Sakura."

The young Uchiha processed this new piece of information, recalling her glaring form in the cherry tree. "Haruno Sakura, ka?" he tested her name on his tongue quietly to himself, a small smirk pulling the corner of his lips. "How fitting…"

Baby-blue eyes blinked in slight astonishment. For all the years she knew this boy, not once has she seen him smile like that because of a girl. Her glossed lips suddenly pulled down into a frown which surprised her. Ino didn't know what it was, but she just felt…annoyed at this for some reason. "Yes…fitting," she mumbled unenthusiastically, but it came out more bitter than she had intended it to be.

Sasuke had caught the tone in her voice, but said nothing of it—not wanting to intrude and all. "Tell me what happened," he said in an authoritative manner. "Why was she trying to escape?"

Blonde brows met in the middle, recalling the girl's over reactions. "I honestly don't know," Ino admitted dumbfounded, shaking her head. "All I was trying to do was help her to her bed, and Sakura-san freaked out on me."

"What about my brother?"

A groan escaped her lips at the memory. "I think she recognized him for a second before she started screaming again."

Obsidian pools narrowed thinly. "What did he do?"

She snapped her gaze from the floor to the Uchiha, his question throwing her off. "What did he do?" Ino repeated. "Well, he called out to her, and then he…"

When the girl stopped in the middle of her explanation unexpectedly, Sasuke groaned in annoyance and impatience. "And then he what?!" he snapped angrily at her which successfully brought her back from her trance.

"He grabbed her face," the blonde haired girl answered anticlimactically.

"Really?" Sasuke question blankly.

Ino nodded her head positively. "But that's not the weird part," she told him, adding more to the suspense.

This got his attention perfectly as Sasuke redirected his intense stare at her. "Dou iu koto?"

_0_

_Meanwhile with Itachi, Tsunade, and Shizune…_

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The three of them made sure Sasuke and Ino were gone before Tsunade pulled out Sakura's medical files from the clipboard at the end of the bed. As her assistant worked on extracting as much of the miasma out from Sakura's body, the Godaime and Uchiha were talking in hushed tones while the busty blonde extracted two black see-through sheets from the manila folder. After making sure they were, in fact, the right ones, Tsunade stuck both sheets onto the illuminator on the wall before switching the box on. The sheet on the left revealed a scan of her brain while the one on the right was of her ribs, both of which were done when she was twelve—or so he was told when he requested for the files. Itachi wasn't sure what he was looking at on the left scan besides a colorful image of the brain; but the right scan clearly showed bruised and fractured ribs. His eyes glanced at the Hokage, noticing her face becoming more and more grim.

From where Shizune stood across the room, she gasped loudly after seeing the X-ray. "Tsunade-sama, that's—"

"I know," Tsunade answered back dismally as she turned around to stare at the pink haired teen pitifully. _'No wonder she went berserk…'_

"So this X-ray proves my theory then?" Itachi asked for confirmation from the woman beside him.

She gave a sure nod. "You see this here?" Tsunade asked, pointing to a spot on the X-ray that looked a bit grainy.

The Uchiha tilted his head a bit. "What exactly am I looking for?"

"This area here," she circled, and then moved to another part of the ribs that looked less grainy than the previous, "And here—they were broken at different times. You can tell by the remodeling of the bones. I'm sure we'd find the same thing on the rest of her X-rays, possibly some bucket-handle tears on her joints as well. This child was used as a punching bag."

Itachi bobbed his head up and down, taking in the facts. "This fits in with the theory I've been working on in my head," he stated confidently. "So Sakura-chan was suffering from long-term abuse—"

"Probably from all three," Shizune deduced. "—physically, mentally, and emotionally."

Again Itachi showed his agreement with a head nod. "Yes, yes; so much so that she doesn't even trust adults, especially the authorities—which explains why she was always on the move," Itachi stated. When he looked back up at the Hokage once more, something clicked in the back of his head. The way she behaved hysterically upon seeing Tsunade—how could he have missed that? It was so obvious that whenever the topic was brought up, she'd get defensive. "Of course," he mumbled, but was still loud enough for the other two to catch it. "It all makes sense now."

A blonde brow lifted at the meaning of his words. "Do share your findings," she said, interested in what he had to say.

Itachi's onyx eyes stared somberly at Tsunade for a moment before he moved to the left side of Sakura's bed. Sympathetically, he placed a gentle hand on the sleeping girl's forehead. "I know why she went berserk—besides the whole touching thing," came his soft answer. "The other assistants said so as well. When she saw Ino-chan, she froze—the same thing happened when she saw you, Tsunade-sama."

Both women's eyes widen at the realization, the finer details becoming clearer in their minds. Shizune paused in the middle of extracting the poison to give the teen a sympathetic gaze. "Poor girl."

"To think it was her own mother that traumatized her," Tsunade commented with disgusted, shaking her head—the movement causing her pigtails to sway side to side. "I should've known when she called me "Mother" with such terrified eyes. All the signs were there right, Itachi? The flinching, aggression, and being withdrawn."

The young man nodded his head. "She didn't seem to like being in the same room with me when I was interrogating her," he answered.

"Ah," Shizune exclaimed, and glanced at Tsunade with wide eyes. "Did her brain scans also show any signs of sexual abuse? That would explain why she didn't calm down when we were restraining her."

The Godaime stepped back in front of the illuminator, examining the scan of her brain. Her eyes then narrowed when she noticed a particular part of her brain being brighter than the rest. "Damn it," she swore, and grabbed the rest of the files, looking at each one hastily. And each one she looked at resulted in the same conclusion. "All of her scans from the time she disappeared reveals extreme trauma to the vaginal wall. Tch! I don't even know how we're going to help this child when our very presences scare her."

Itachi still kept his hand on Sakura's forehead while saying, "So her mother, Haruno Mebuki who had blonde hair as well as Fujioka Akino—her aunt, physically and emotionally abused her child while someone went and raped her daily," Itachi listed the facts. He shook his head sadly. _'No child should ever have to suffer like this.' _ "I supposed after all she's been through, anyone with blonde—or just anyone within the vicinity of her—would scare her, triggering her fears and memories of being abused."

The brunette woman frowned a bit in confusion. "But if Sakura-san had triggers before, how come we never heard anything about it until now?"

At this inquiry, Itachi interceded to explain. "From what I can tell, Sakura-chan is very good at controlling her emotions. However, the incident at Yamakawa and Ame caused her to be a bit unstable which made her panic when she woke up to new surroundings."

Tsunade let out a low groan, feeling a headache throbbing in the back of her skull. "So now we know that Haruno Sakura was raped, abused, and pretty much hates adults," she surmised, lifting her stare from the floor to the child with thinned eyes, "How do we get her to cooperate with us so we can figure out what happened to the rest of her village?"

"I might have an idea for that, but let's talk about that later," Itachi spoke up.

Shizune was going to ask more on the matter when Itachi lifted a tan hand, stopping her effectively midway. As she tossed him a baffled frown, he gestured to the door behind him with a tilt of his head; and she understood.

"Sasuke, you can come out now," the elder Uchiha called loudly. "You, too, Ino-chan."

At first there were no signs of movement until a few seconds and some shuffling later, the door slid open to reveal one glaring Sasuke and one red-faced Ino. The both of them looked like children who were caught doing something they weren't supposed to as they stepped into the room quietly; waiting to hear the lecture they knew would come.

Growling with an irritated countenance, Tsunade barked viciously at them. "How much did you two hear?!"

The youngest Uchiha rolled his eyes unfazed. "Don't worry; we didn't hear anything you didn't want us to. We just barely got here," Sasuke informed with exaggerated assurance with a side of no amount of respect as he totally ignored the growing twitch of the blonde woman's temple. "But I do know that she freaked out and called you 'Okaasan.'"

At this, the older blonde's brows shot up into her forehead as she zoomed her glare onto the Yamanaka. "Damn it, Ino!" the woman swore angrily, feeling all the irritation about to explode out of her. "That is confidential patient information! You can't just go and blab it out to him just because you have a crush on the brat!"

Red instantaneously flooded her cheeks as she sputtered over her words. "B-but I thought that s-since Sasuke-kun has to be here when Sakura-san wakes up," she tried to explain, but her nervousness was making her speed through her sentence sloppily. "I t-thought it'd be a good idea that he'd be informed in case he needed to q-question her."

Groaning once more after hearing the poor explanation, Tsunade admitted that it _was_ a good idea; but she didn't like things being done without her knowing and consent. "Urgh, fine!" she relented, however, stuck a finger in the Yamanaka's face, startling her. "But next time, inform me first! Is that clear?"

"H-hai!" the girl responded quickly, not wanting to be yelled at again.

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…

Silence soon took over the room after that as everyone was absorbed in watching Shizune managing to stop the girl from trembling so. In the basin beside her that the brunette used to place the poison, the basin was completely black and the bottom couldn't be seen since the miasma was so thick. Walking to stand next to her assistant, Tsunade heaved a deep breath before hovering a hand over Sakura's bandaged chest, her green healing chakra glowing as she scanned the thin body.

_'Chikushou!' _Even though Shizune filled the basin with all the shouki, Sakura's body was still riddled with the toxic gas. _'It's nearly impossible to cure anything that isn't of this world,' _she thought, taking in the now calm and relaxed face of the pink spiritualist. _'We need to do something if she's going to survive…'_

Turning back to the two Chuunin, Tsunade ordered, "Ino, go back to your duties, and—" hazel eyes moved towards Itachi's brother "—Sasuke, I want you to stay here until she wakes. See if you can get anything out of her."

"What about you?" the young man asked, watching as the three exited the room. "What are you going to do after she wakes up?"

Itachi and Shizune paused by the door, both waiting for the Godaime's response. It was a while when she finally responded back, making everyone wondered what she was thinking. Tsunade glanced over her shoulder with an unreadable expression in her brown eyes.

"We'll cross that bridge when we get there," Tsunade answered ambiguously before departing with her subordinates.

_0_

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_Latest Mission_

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_2: 45 PM…_

…

…

…

In the downtown area of the city of Konoha in the middle of the busiest shopping districts sat Ichiraku Ramen Restaurant. Due to good services and a variety of foods—though they were mostly know for their ramen—Ichiraku was always crowded with shoppers and business people. But Ichiraku was always known to serve their city's shinobi for their hard work since they always came home late from missions and requests. Plus it helped that the restaurant usually stayed open until two in the morning, keeping them busy from dusk to dawn. Currently occupying Teuchi-san and his daughter, Ayame, was Naruto and Kakashi who were both waiting for Sasuke's arrival at the bar counter.

"SLURRRRPAH!"

_Bam!_

"Aaah~!" Naruto gave a satisfying sigh and ordered a third bowl of miso ramen while wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. Once Teuchi-san took his order, the young blonde man glanced to his right at his sensei with a peeved glare.

Noticing the stink eye that Naruto was aiming at him, Kakashi lifted a silver brow in curious question. "What?" he asked innocently. Seeing his student taking a deep breath and his nose flaring greatly, the Jounin knew instinctively that another rant was on its way.

"Where in _the _hell is that Sasuke-teme?!" the blonde exploded noisily, not caring if the other customers were trying to enjoy their lunch, but instead were glaring at him as he threw his head back exasperatedly. "GAH! We've been sitting here for over an hour already, waiting for his slow turtle ass!"

Kakashi only let out a nervous laugh, waving dismissively when Teuchi-san came back with Naruto's large bowl of ramen with a quirk of his gray brows. Once the owner left to check up with his other patrons, Kakashi placed a hand on the fuming teen's shoulder to calm him. "Maybe he's still doing his hospital check-up," he guessed, but the young man was not having it and was unconvinced.

Naruto obnoxiously slurped at the egg noodles while still trying to glare at his sensei. "Oh really?" he questioned all snarky-like, though the effect was waned due to his words sounding garbled from his stuffed mouth. "Did he happened to trip and fall over a cliff and break his bones like the klutz he is, too?"

"Well no—"

"NO! No, He didn't!"

"But you never—" Kakashi tried to squeeze in when the boy went to take another bite, but to no avail.

"NO!"

And all of a sudden there was a pair of chopsticks dripping with hanging noodles in his face, a drop of soup broth accidentally flicking into his eye from the whipping motion of the noodles. A brow twitched and a vein popped out as he went to wipe the droplets off.

"Naruto—"

"IT. DOES NOT. TAKE. THAT LONG. FOR A CHECKUP, DAMN IT! SERIOUSLY! WHAT THE HELL IS HE DOING?! PICKIN HIS NOSE?! SCRATCHING HIS ASS?! BEING AN IDIOT?! STANDIN AROUND LIKE A CREEPER?!—"

_0_

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_At the hospital…_

"ACHOO!" Sasuke blinked confusedly at the random sneeze as he stood by the window, watching over the sleeping cherry blossom. _'That was weird…'_

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"WHAT THE HELL IS HE DOING, HUH?! OR! OR!—"

Kakashi had eventually given up on trying to calm him down earlier and was reading his porn book when he heard the repetition as he lifted his brow in a bored manner.

Naruto grabbed his hair in anxiety with a look of doom on his face as he faced Kakashi, grabbing the man's shoulders tightly. "OR HE PROBABLY FORGOT!"

And then, abruptly, the Uzumaki stopped his tantrum, causing the whole restaurant to be engulfed in complete silence, waiting in apprehension. From the corner of Kakashi's eyes—he was still stuck in the vice-like grip the boy had on him—he could see the customers breathing a sigh of relief when nothing followed the sudden stop, thankful that the screeching finally ceased. He, however, knew better and glanced at Naruto's bowed head knowingly. He knew that the teen wasn't done yet, and braced himself—well…as best as he could anyways (it was a little hard to cringe when fingers were digging into his shoulders painfully). And as predicted, something dawned in the blonde as his blue eyes shined with something new and another wave of ranting burst forth.

"OH MY GOD!—"

From the restaurant, everyone groaned or banged their heads on the tables, wishing the agony to be over.

"SHUT UP!" Naruto shouted at the patrons before snapping his head back at Kakashi—'_Lucky me'—_to continue his rant. "IF THAT BASTARD FORGOT, I'M GONNA KILL HIM AND—"

_Punch!_

_ Clang!_

The blonde's head was suddenly slammed into the bar counter, leaving a big dent in its wake.

"Wooo!" the restaurant roared joyously, thankful that the madness was over. "We're free!"

"Would you give it a rest already, you loud-mouth brat? We can hear you all the way across town."

While the restaurant celebrated, happy that balance had been restored, the Uzumaki gripped his head gingerly at the same time rubbing his forehead—which, by the way, was slowly forming a big fat welt. Naruto then proceeded to glare at the Hokage heatedly, demanding what the reason was for this act of violence to occur. "Baachan! What the fuck?!"

Having had enough with all the disrespect she received—mostly from the youngest Uchiha—today, Tsunade decided to grab Naruto's ear and gave it a good twist backwards, causing a yelp to escape the boy's lips. "What was that, you turd?" she growled challengingly.

"Itaitaitai! Na-Na-Nandemonai dattebayo!" Naruto stammered in response, wanting the pain to be over. Once she let go, his hand immediately flew to his right ear's aid, rubbing it to sooth the ache. "What are you doing here anyways, Tsunade-baachan?" he grumbled with a pout.

The woman huffed a bit before pointing her glare to the Copy-Nin. "Kakashi!"

The said man's eye blinked at the snappiness in her tone. "H-hai?"

"We have something to discuss with you."

"'We?'"

Tsunade took a step to her left to reveal Shizune and Itachi standing behind her.

"Shizune-neechan! Itachi-niichan!" Naruto exclaimed with slight surprise. "What are you guys doing here? Gonna eat some ramen, too?" Then his face twisted into a sneaky grin as he leaned up to Itachi. "You on a date with Shizune-neechan?"

Itachi chuckled at his silliness while ruffling his otoutou's best friend's head. "No, we're actually here on business with Tsunade-sama," the older Uchiha replied good-naturedly.

Upon hearing the statement, Naruto twisted around his bar stool to glance at his teacher who was speaking in low tones with Tsunade. He was going to ask what the business was about until his teacher stood up while throwing down several bills to pay for lunch.

"Kakashi-sensei?"

The said man lifted a brow at the curiosity in his student's voice, and just smiled while repeating Itachi's earlier form of endearment to his head. "Don't worry; it's nothing urgent," Kakashi assured, noticing the worried gaze. "You and Sasuke can have the rest of the day off."

After watching his sensei and the rest turn to leave, Naruto suddenly remembered the cause of his grief and frustration and exclaimed loudly; while at the same time hitting his fist into his open palm. "That bastard!" He quickly turned to Itachi before the man left with the others. "Itachi-niichan, where the hell is Sasuke? He was supposed to be here more than an hour ago!"

"Oh?" Itachi questioned, bringing his eyes to the ceiling to remember Sasuke's current location. When he did, he brought his stare back down to the anxious teen with a smile. "He's at the hospital. Just look for Ino-chan—she'll tell you. He's got some broken ribs and bruises to be checked on." And with that, the Uchiha disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Cerulean blue eyes widened greatly at the news as guilt settled upon him. Out of the blue, the hyper blonde threw his head back, gripping his hair by its roots as he let out an obnoxiously noisy yell. "GAH! I jinxed the teme!"

Teuchi-san groaned from the kitchen at his regular's outburst, and headed over to the young man's side of the bar. "Naruto~" he drew out tiredly. "You really need to stop bursting out like that or—"

"Ah! Gomen, Occhan!" the boy apologized hastily as he ran out of the restaurant. "Kakashi-sensei already paid!"

Once out of the restaurant and onto the busy street, Naruto hit the roofs expertly, and took off in the direction of the hospital with adrenaline fueling his body. _'Damn teme!' _he thought. _'Can't even do anything without me! Heh!'_

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_Recent Chore_

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_3: 20 PM…_

…

…

…

_ Flap!_

_ Flap-flap!_

_ Flap!_

The spring-scented wind blowing into the quiet bright room, billowing the gossamer curtains, was relaxing and had eased his nerves a bit. Sasuke had went from standing by the window to pulling up a chair beside the bed with his back facing the door. His legs were propped up at the left corner of her bed as his dark eyes stared at the clouds from his position. In this way, if anyone came in, he could make sure and tell them of the situation. But so far, it was mostly Ino who came in to check on the both of them. She had informed him that the girl—_'Sakura'—_was stable for now; however, there was still some lingering poison in her system. She said that it would be difficult to remove a demon's miasma without the help of a priest or priestess whose expertise lie in the spiritual aspect of their world.

_ "_Tch!" Sasuke clicked his tongue in frustration as he recalled his earlier conversation with Ino when the others left.

…

…

…

_Flashback…_

…

_ "Well, why can't you or Tsunade heal her?' Sasuke questioned in aggravation. How was he supposed to talk to the girl if she can't even recover from the shouki? "Isn't she supposed to be the best healer there is?"_

_ Ino sighed, her blue eyes shifting to the unconscious girl. "It's not that easy, Sasuke-kun," she tried to explain, but the man before her didn't seem to want to listen. "Shouki isn't like the poisons made from herbs or powder. It's a poisonous gas expelled from demons; it destroys the body, mind, and soul. Even if we could extract some of it out, it wouldn't stop the poison from progressing if we don't know how to cure it."_

_ He could feel the Yamanaka's gaze on him as his mind tried to process the information. "So if you guys can't help her…who can?" Sasuke asked softly, feeling hopeless._

_ "Well, I'd try going to the Fire Temple—see if they could help," Ino suggested, catching Sasuke snapping his head up to her at the suggestion. "But I doubt it would help much."_

_ Sasuke lifted his brow. "Why not?"_

_ "Because the only way to heal a demon's poison is by finding someone with actual spiritual healing abilities," she clarified, and then gestured her head at Sakura. "Like this girl here."_

_ The Uchiha was now finally getting the gist of it. "So since she's trying to stop the spread of the shouki herself, thus weakening her body," Sasuke gathered slowly. "There's no way she could heal herself."_

_ "Exactly—which is why we need for her to wake up to see if she knows someone personally who can help."_

…

_End Flashback…_

…

…

…

_'Tch!'_ Sasuke scoffed at the memory. _'That's easier said than done. How the fuck are we supposed to find these spiritualists? It's not like they'll pop up conveniently.'_

Onyx orbs flickered to the sleeping face thoughtfully. There was something about her that was attracting him to her; but, at the same time, seeing her in such a weakened state annoyed him. It made him want to protect her, and he even hardly knew her. _'Haruno Sakura…just who are you?'_

…

…

…

After that, no other thoughts passed his mind for a good while as Sasuke sat in silence enjoying the spring breeze. From his peripheral vision, Sasuke caught her hair falling over her face, shielding it from him. Automatically, the young man stood up and brushed the strands away with a gentle touch absentmindedly. When the hair was out of the way, his hand settled comfortably by her temple. His intense eyes drank in her features: the light blush, the coral pink lips, the blossom hair, the porcelain complexion—everything was drawing him to her. Then as if in a trance, Sasuke found himself lowering closer and closer until—

_Bam!_

"There you are, you bastard!"

Sasuke straightened up instantly, and quickly removed his hand from her face as he shook himself of that odd feeling. _'What was that?'_ the Uchiha thought, turning around only to see a fist coming towards him. _'Shimatta! I can't block it!'_

"I should beat your ass for making me…wait…"

The fourteen year old waited for the hit to come, but none came. Opening his eyes, the youngest Uchiha saw wide-eyed shock plastered on his best friend's face and wondered why he stopped. _'That's right…'_ was his thought as he turned around watching Naruto walk up to the bed. _'He's connected, too.' _

"Is…is this her?" Naruto asked uncertainly, afraid that she might be his imagination.

"Hn" was the Uchiha's reply as he gruffly shoved his hands into his pockets.

The Uzumaki let out a soft chuckle. "She really does have pink hair," Naruto murmured affectionately as if he was missing an old friend. "And she's really pretty, too. What's her name?"

Sasuke stepped up beside his friend. "Haruno Sakura."

Naruto looked at the dark haired male with raised brows. "Really? Haha. What a fitting name," Naruto laughed again, taking Sasuke's seat as he admired the girl's face.

"So?"

"So what?"

Sasuke stared down at the blonde. "What do you feel?"

Blue eyes stared back knowingly; it had always unnerved him when Naruto did that—like he could read what was in his heart or something. "I don't know—complete maybe," Naruto replied honestly, stretching his arms above his head. "Like our family's finally altogether, I guess. You?"

Feeling embarrassed when asked about his emotions on the topic, Sasuke turned away with a slight blush and a grunt—meaning he agreed.

The Uzumaki shook his head while chuckling at his friend's behavior, knowing exactly what he meant. Bringing his attention back on the pink haired teen, Naruto was really curious as to why she looked so frail. "She's so fragile looking," he noted.

Sasuke grunted again, shifting to his right leg. "Yeah, she's weak right now," the dark haired man informed, continuing when he became aware of the probing stare Naruto gave him. "She's been poisoned by shouki from that demon in Yamakawa."

"She killed that demon?" Naruto asked incredulously, receiving a confirming nod. "So will she be able to wake up?"

"She should. According to Tsunade, this girl's been knocked out with some tranquilizer."

"Sou ka. Well…I hope she wakes up soon."

_'You and me both…'_

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_Inexperienced Job_

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_Hokage Hall…_

…

…

…

Gathered around the Hokage's desk were Itachi, Kakashi, and Shizune. Sitting on her left and right were Homura and Hiruzen—both dressed in their counseling attire. Tsunade sat in the center of her desk with hands crossed in front of her face as her hazel eyes watched intently at the crystal ball that she used to keep an eye on the public. Around her, everyone was quiet, waiting to see what her final decision was. In her crystal ball, she noticed the way the two boys acted around the girl, handling her as if she was something fragile.

_'Especially that Uchiha,' _she reflected with amusement. _'Hmph! Acting like nothing happened when Naruto came in. Maybe I should go with Itachi's suggestion.'_

"Itachi…it's almost the Third Anniversary of your clan's tragedy, right?" Tsunade pointed out offhandedly, surprising the young man and everyone else in the room. Though she seemed to not notice the sudden uncomfortable tension.

Before responding back, Itachi cleared his throat casually, trying not to let the subject bother him. "Yes it is, Hokage-sama."

"Hmmm…and how are the preparations coming along?"

Still confused as to where this was going, Itachi said, "It's coming along just fine. Sumimasen, demo…is there a reason you're asking me this?"

At his direct inquiry, her knowing eyes shifted to his boldly. "And how is Sasuke handling it?"

"Sasuke?" the Uchiha repeated, baffled more than ever. "He's a little on edge about the whole thing, but he's managing."

"Tsunade-sama," Kakashi spoke out. "Are you thinking of assigning him to watch over the girl?"

Upon hearing the speculation, Homura and Shizune snapped their gazes towards the Hokage, demanding to know what she was planning. The only calm ones in the room were Itachi, Kakashi, and Hiruzen—all of whom already suspected what she was going to do. Although, it seemed Homura also knew as well because he immediately stood up with his hackles ruffled.

"Tsunade!" the ornery old man scolded. "You can't possibly leave her in the care of the Uchiha!"

Both blonde and black brows pulled together at the underlying accusations.

"And why not? It was his idea anyways," she said defiantly. "Besides, Itachi has more than enough qualifications to watch over a ward of the state."

"Not Itachi," Homura grounded out through gritted teeth. "You're thinking of putting of Uchiha Sasuke in charge of her."

Tsunade exhaled a short breath as she rolled her eyes and shrugged her shoulders. "Fine, fine. You caught me," she admitted uncaringly. "I'm going to assign Sasuke a new mission and that is to befriend Haruno Sakura."

"Tsunade…" Hiruzen had leaned back in his chair, taking a long inhale of his pipe before speaking again. "Do you think Sasuke can handle this mission? The child looks strong, but anyone with the right eyes can see that she is suffering deeply. Can Sasuke break that shell?"

Tsunade looked at Itachi. "Why don't you answer this one, Itachi," she said.

The young man stepped forward, bowing respectfully at the three as he did so. "Sandaime-sama, I believe Sasuke has the potential to help not only her, but himself," he stated confidently. "Ever since our family's demise, Sasuke has been hell bent on getting revenge on the person who did this. If the both of them found someone else who knows their pain—besides, for example, Naruto and myself—then perhaps the anger they feel will lessen."

"Hmmm, you sound confident," Hiruzen noted. "Perhaps Sasuke will forget his revenge, but what of the, child, Haruno Sakura? How do you know that she won't retaliate in the future?"

The young man bowed his head in understanding. "That is why I advised Tsunade-sama to have the child live with me and Sasuke in order for her to be used to people again."

"Itachi, Kakashi—please also inform them of your interactions with the girl," Tsunade told them. "What is your recommendation?"

"When I first encountered Haruno Sakura, she was very wary and withdrawn—on always on alert of her surroundings. Due to this behavior in a girl her age who should have more friends and be more outgoing, I surmised that she was abused as a child which was confirmed through Tsunade-sama's findings," Itachi reported thoroughly. "Though, Sakura did not have many social interactions with the townspeople and was bullied constantly by her peers, she excelled greatly in combat and extermination."

"I can actually vouch for that," Kakashi interrupted while ignoring Homura's radiating glare. "Haruno Sakura is well known throughout this region as being the best spiritualist, having done many missions herself. She had even disposed of the demon that was terrorizing the village of Yamakawa very efficiently."

Homura narrowed his eyes behind his lens, not convinced. "And how efficient was that, Kakashi?"

The silver haired Jounin closed his eyes and leaned back against the window frame somberly. He could hear the sounds of the busy streets below bustling with many people, wishing he was there. _'Ugh, this is turning very troublesome with Homura breathing down everyone's neck.' _The man completely zoned out in his thoughts, however, forgetting that he was in an important meeting.

"Kakashi!"

Startled out of his thoughts, the said man straightened up and let out a sheepish chuckle. "Ah~! Gomen, gomen!" he apologized half-heartedly. "Where were we?"

Tsunade rolled her eyes at the man while Hiruzen shook his head in amusement. Though, Homura was the only one who didn't find this situation hilarious. "You were telling us about the extermination."

"Oh! Yes, yes!" Kakashi laughed again. "It took her less than twenty-four hours to kill that demon."

"N-nani?!"

"Well, she _is _a Hakurei," he said in a way that that fact should've been obvious. "But I felt there was something off about her, though."

Homura groaned. "Besides the fact that she was abused as a child, what else is wrong with the child?"

Itachi lifted his hand, cutting Homura off. "This is something you need to hear, and why I stand by my decision to have her stay with me," the young man declared firmly, knowing that what he was going to say next was crucial. "In Ame, Sakura looked like she had lost control of her powers, and raised a shield. When—"

Tsunade frowned, and looked at Kakashi. "Shield?"

"It's a defense mechanism that protects the Priestess of Hakurei or what she is commonly known as—the Priestess of the Heavens," the Jounin answered, noticing the quick change of expressions. "Because of this barrier, I have no doubt that in our custody is the heiress to the Hakurei clan. Only the child who possesses such strong spiritual powers of that bloodline carries that title."

"Sou ka," she muttered, and then gestured for Itachi to continue.

"As Kakashi-senpai said, her barrier is a defense mechanism, but I don't think that's her only defense."

Everyone frowned. "What do you mean, Itachi?" Hiruzen asked.

The Uchiha took a deep breath, preparing himself. He opened his dark eyes, taking in all the faces. "When I entered her mind, there were many seals that I had to break before finding a room at the end. At first, I thought all the seals were to keep people like me out; however, that wasn't the case." He paused, letting the information sink in before continuing. "In that room, she locked up her dark personality."

"A dark personality?" Homura repeated worriedly, looking at his fellow advisor. "Is this personality dangerous?"

"She seems to think so, considering all the seals she's put up," Itachi answered. "But that is why I want her to be around Sasuke. If she had more interaction in her life, maybe that personality will disappear."

The blonde female Hokage seemed to consider this possibility. If she had lost control and her dark personality had taken over, it probably would've been the end of Ame. _'Itachi said she was good at controlling her emotions,' _Tsunade remembered. _ 'Then that means her personality only takes over when she is emotionally distressed. Something has to trigger her emotions and—! Her memories! The abuse was too much for her, and so she created a personality that harbored all her feelings.' _The woman clicked her tongue quietly. _'If that's the case, then the only option is to have her in Itachi's care so she could be monitored. But where would she go if they left on missions? She could easily leave when there's no supervision.'_

From where he sat, the Third Hokage could see the gears in his student's head working. Taking another deep inhale, he savored the tobacco flavor as the smoke exited through his aged lips. "Tsunade if I may?" he asked softly.

The blonde twisted around to her right, looking at her sensei. "Hai, Sarutobi-sensei?" Tsunade answered respectfully.

"Why don't you have her enrolled at the Academy since she is going to be living with Itachi and his brother?" he suggested lightly. "If she is as afraid of adults as you say she is, then having her around people her age at the Academy should be beneficial to not only us but her as well. And since we're on the topic, why don't we put her on Kakashi's team that way she wouldn't feel so anxious around new people."

"It's fine with me," Kakashi said. "We need a fourth person on our team anyways. Plus, she'd be useful when we have to do those exorcism requests."

Tsunade nodded positively, liking the outcome of this meeting before turning to her left. "Well, everyone is in favor of having her enrolled at the Academy and staying at the Uchiha residence for a while," Tsunade wrapped up.

Knowing that he was outnumbered, Homura just gave in and groaned quietly, tired of arguing with the stubborn woman. "Fine, fine. Do what you want, but—" the others had rejoiced until he said that—"She must be certified officially—not just enrolled. We need to assess her abilities to see if her reputation really precedes her."

_Clap!_

_ Clap!_

"Agh~! Fine! That settles this meeting then!" Tsunade declared loudly with two claps. "Haruno Sakura will be the fourth and final member of Team Kakashi."

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_Untouched Responsibility_

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_5: 30 PM…_

…

…

…

Sasuke had just finished explaining to Naruto the reason why he was late when his older brother, sensei, and the Hokage all showed up unexpectedly in the room. Both he and Naruto stopped what they were doing, curious as to why all three were present.

"What are you guys doing here?" Naruto asked impolitely. "I thought you had some important meeting or whatever."

Tsunade threw the blonde teen an evil glance to which he ignored before proceeding. "We did, and before I tell you the news—Naruto!" she pointed right in his face, making him go cross-eyed. "I need you to leave the room—"

"What? Why?!"

"Leave—I have to do another check up on Sasuke," she reiterated clearly so the boy understood that she wasn't going to argue on the subject. Relenting stubbornly, Naruto left the room grumbling with Kakashi until it was only the Uchiha brothers, the female Hokage, and the sleeping girl in the room. Once the room was secured, Tsunade faced Sasuke with a business like countenance, taking him aback. "Uchiha Sasuke!"

He lifted his brows unsurely. "Hai…?"

At his expression, Tsunade gave a smug smirk. "You've been given a new mission—one of which you have no choice in denying," she declared haughtily.

Sasuke frowned, not sure if he was going to like what was coming next. "And that is?" the young man asked slowly, and noticed from his side view the way his older brother was smiling suspiciously.

The smirk on the Godaime's face also grew.

Not like being left out of the loop, Sasuke demanded impatiently, "What's going on?"

Itachi clamped a heavy hand onto his shoulder, poking a finger into his cheek to make him look at Sakura. "See her over there?" he asked rhetorically as Sasuke nodded dumbly. "Your mission is to be her friend."

Deep black pools widened into large saucers at the new information and task he had just been handed forcefully. His shocked gaze flew to the porcelain face nervously with thousands of thoughts flashing through his head. Snapping his stare so painfully fast back at the busty blonde and his diabolical brother, Sasuke could only stupidly say, "Why?"

The woman chuckled at the boy's dumbfounded expression, enjoying every moment of it. "Because she won't talk to us; and you seem to know her so well, we thought it was a good idea!" she cackled evilly. "Plus, this is payback for all the shit you gave me."

"What?! That doesn't even make sense!" the youngest Uchiha exasperated. "I hardly met the girl—much less know her! Why can't that dumbass do it?! He's the one who looks infatuated with her!"

"It's because he's blonde," Tsunade said simply.

Eyelids blink rapidly at the response. "Because he's blonde? What the hell?!"

"Never mind that, Sasuke," Itachi told him, trying to get his attention back. "That's not even the best part!"

The young man twisted neck so that he was facing his older brother directly with a grimace marring his handsome face. "What's the best part?"

The corner of Itachi's lips widen into a full blown smile. "Haruno Sakura-chan will be on your team."

"Okay…"

Itachi inwardly laughed, knowing his reactions already. "Oh! And she'll be staying with us!"

…

…

…

…

…

"NANI?!"

* * *

**TO DRUNKEN GUEST!** LOL At least you didn't get drunk enough like I did that you'd tripped over a shoe-which appeared out of nowhere btw-in the middle of the living room only to have your eye nearly gouged out of the socket because you landed on your friend's bony ass knee. I had a throbbing black eye for a while haha

**To Parpallee**: I hope you liked this chapter because I was thinking of our funny conversations as I wrote this. haha I'll write you back soon after I'm done wallowing because of the stupid new Chapter release of Naruto. Aren't you pissed?! I know you are!

**NOW REVIEW SINCE THE CHAPTER WAS A TOTAL OF 24 PAGES! LOL  
**

**Alrighty! So that is the latest chapter! Took me forever to write because of school and my hands cramping lol. Anyways, I hoped you liked this chapter. I just wanted to get everyone's perspective on how the decision was made while Sakura was totally knocked out. **

** I know the story is going slow, but that's because I've already planned for the other two fics following this. It just takes a long time to write.**

**Anyways, this is dedicated to all my reviewers and readers who's been keeping up with me. Thank you very much!**

****FOR THOSE WHO JUST READ THE RECENT NARUTO CHAPTER! DON'T READ IF YOU HAVEN'T!

I am going to kill Kishi for mind-fuckin us! I swear I think I'm going to have an aneurysm because there are way too much stuff going on! GODDAMN OROCHIMARU! When didn't the Reaper digest his arms faster! Gah! -bangs head on desk-

**Lessons!**

Nani - what

Saikan Chushutsu - Delicate Illness Extraction

Sumimasen - Sorry or excuse

Shimatta - Damn it

Occhan - casual way of saying uncle

Sou ka- I see

Dou iu koto - What do you mean?

Itaitaitai- Ouch ouch ouch

Nandemonai - nothing

Shouki - miasma

**QUIZ!**

**What will Sakura do when she founds out the news?!  
**

**A. Freak out and try to escape again  
**

**B. Hide in her little corner by the wall  
**

**C. Just accept her fate  
**

**D. Punch Naruto and Sasuke  
**

**E. All of the above!  
**

**Please Answer in the review.  
**

****Sincerely,

Hoozuki


	9. Chapter IX: Stubborn Acclimation

_Chapter IX_

_By: Hoozuki_

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_Stubborn Acclimation_

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"_It's a truly __scary__ feeling. You're wondering about your future, your livelihood. Your world __changes__ pretty dramatically.__"-Mike Brown_

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_Thursday, April 22__nd_

_Uchiha Residence, 11:00 AM_

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_ Tick!_

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_ Tick!_

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_ Tick!_

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_ Tick!_

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_ Tick!_

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On and on and on the clock went as ticked monotonously, echoing loudly in the living room as three men sat quietly despite the tense atmosphere. The oldest of the three sat comfortably on the leather recliner by the wide bay window with a book in his hand and a small smirk on his face, seemingly not affected by the growing malice radiating off the second youngest on the other side of the room. The youngest male was currently sitting on the middle cushion of the center three-seat leather sofa facing the fairly good-sized television, nervously glancing between the two males facing opposite each other. Though he always liked sitting in the middle—since it gave him a good view of the show from both angles—the young man couldn't help, but be a little apprehensive and wished nothing more than to sink into the cushion he was sitting on. On the far right of the living room, seated stiffly and in quiet fury on the cushion closest to the television, the second to youngest man was gripping the end of the loveseat arm so tightly his knuckles were turning white and the leather squeaked in protest. His right ankle was propped on his left knee, bouncing furiously as his patience rapidly grew thin and his irritation bigger. His features—which were practically identical to that of the man before him—were oddly calm, but anyone could see all his contempt was directed at the man he called his older brother. And the reason for all his boiling emotions—that had yet to dissipate for two and a half weeks now—was, at the moment, upstairs locked in the room across from his, refusing to come out of the last week and a half. And it was all his stupid-decision-making-without-his-permission-idiotic big brother's fault.

Sasuke glared even harder, thinking that if he concentrated enough, maybe his asshole of a brother would spontaneously burst into flames and ashes.

Itachi, on the other hand, sensing his totally dense and immature little brother's death ray on him, looked up smugly while giving him a smile that would piss the crap out of him. The older Uchiha inwardly laughed evilly when Sasuke jumped at the action and glared even harder, determined to melt him with his intense dark glare for all that he was worth.

"N-Ne…Sasuke—" Naruto stopped partway, swallowing his saliva anxiously when his best friend slash rival slash brother pointed his "If you don't shut up, I'm going to destroy all things ramen" glare at him. Deciding to go for it anyways, despite crying and apologizing to his ramen collection mentally, Naruto tried to speak again. "Sasuke, why don't you—"

"Shut up," the said fourteen year old growled threateningly.

Of course, as one who never backed down from any sort of challenge be it a test of strength, most food consumption, or even a staring contest, the blonde simply plowed right on as if he was never interrupted. "Why don't you just go up there—"

Hands gripped the sofa even more tightly.

"Shut. Up," Sasuke tried again, clenching his jaw to control his temper.

"—and talk—"

'Shut up!"

"—to her!"

The two fourteen year olds stared at each other, both refusing to be the one to back down with determination fueling them—but it was mostly stubbornness. It was always like this. Sasuke and Naruto would always start some stupid fight until either Itachi butted in or one of them made a threat which successfully causes the other party to reluctantly give up. In the event of the latter, it was currently Sasuke in the winning.

On Itachi's side of the room, the man could only watch with interest as the two boys he raised had another one of their staring matches. He already knew that the winner would be Sasuke, knowing that the boy would always usually carry out his threats. He _never_ failed at carrying out his promises. He knew it would be only a matter of time until his baby brother would break the match to go fulfill his threat…destroying Naruto's ramen collection. _'Maybe we'll finally have more room in the pantry,' _Itachi pondered thoughtfully, rubbing his chin with his thumb and forefinger.

"That's it!" Sasuke declared angrily, and got up from the seat to stomp to the kitchen. "I'm going to annihilate your stupid ramen collection until they're ashes!"

Panic and fear quickly overshadowed the blue eyes as the owner swiftly ran after the brunette. "No! Don't touch my babies!" Naruto yelled in desperation as he quickly latched himself to Sasuke, clawing at his shirt. "I'll shut up, I promise!"

Both teenagers were standing—well more like kneeling on Naruto's part—at the family room entrance as Naruto now dug his heels into the floor while pulling Sasuke back with his arms, preventing him to venture off into the kitchen. Sasuke paused to look at his best friend—who, by the way, deciding to go back to clinging to his leg like a five year old—suspiciously to see if he was being sincere. His obsidian eyes narrowed immediately, recognizing the expression on the blonde's face. He attributed this ability to years of living with the annoying blonde and his stupid watery eyes. The last time he fell for it, Sasuke only ended up with humiliation on his side. To say at the very least, after that, Sasuke vehemently refused to give into the boy's pleas again—let alone five times—unless he knew that Naruto was being serious which was hardly ever. Finally a moment passed, Sasuke kicked his friend off his leg, grumbling the whole way back to his seat to continue sulking. Not too long afterwards, the Uzumaki followed suit and settled back into the uncomfortable silence.

Naruto naturally knew of Sasuke's mission and proceeded to laugh at his expense when he had heard the news. _'I mean, what's so hard about making friends with a girl?' _the boy thought incredulously, and then remembered that it was Sasuke he was thinking about. The Uchiha was about as dumb as a brick when it came to hormones and girls. All he had to do was talk to the girl and make her feel more comfortable in her new surroundings. And what does he do? He picks a fight with her. They've been fighting for almost two weeks now, and he still couldn't get her out of the room. _'If it weren't for his stupid pride, we'd be on missions by now!' _As the Uzumaki leaned forward towards the coffee table to grab his tea, the young man thought he'd try again, but with a more subtle and casual approach.

Slowly lifting the ceramic cup to his lips, Naruto said nonchalantly, "We'd be on missions by now…" he paused briefly to glimpse at his friend's direction, seeing him freeze as he took a deliberately long sip of the bitter drink. With a pleased smirk, he let out a satisfied sigh before continuing on with his aside, "…you know…if you let go of your pride and talk to Sakura-chan. I mean, if we get no missions, you'd have no one to blame but yourself." Bright blue eyes peeked once more over at the brunette, inwardly taking pleasure that his words were affecting the Uchiha. "And if we can't do the required amount of missions, we'd flunk and never become Jounin—thus never joining ANBU, and I can't become Hokage." Naruto egged him on; dismissively waving at the idea of joining higher ranks like it was a hassle. "But you seem to not mind taking the burden of all that blame, so I'll just leave you alone now."

And that was it of his dramatic "disappointment" of Sasuke, preferring to let the man stew as he knew his words were eating at his friend from the inside out. Quietly and calmly, the Uzumaki took another sip, but this time made sure to make his slurp obnoxiously loud to fill in the silent tangible air. Curious about Itachi's reaction, Naruto subtly darted his eyes to his left to gauge the man's behavior and found a small smirk gracing the corner of his lips. Closing his eyes in approval, Naruto and Itachi decided to wait until Sasuke blew up in frustration as he always did when he knew when he was in the wrong.

Sasuke, on the other hand, refused to play into the dumb moronic blonde's hands; yet he knew that that retard Naruto was right. If they got no missions, he wouldn't be able to see how far he's progressed these past months. _'But damn it all to hell!' _the impassive young teen spat in mental anger. _'It's her fault anyways!' _Ever since Sasuke learned of his new mission, he was a large mixture of emotions: surprise, annoyance, anger, and maybe just a tad happy and relieved—all in that order. Surprise because the girl was going to be living with them; annoyance for being thrust a random mission; anger since they basically did it without his consent; happy that he'll get to know more about her; and most definitely relieved because he could use the mission as an excuse to find out about her. However. Since April 10th, the girl had yet to come out of the room and interact with any of them. If it was any other girl, he wouldn't have minded or give a damn. Except this assignment would reflect on his record in the future, and Uchiha Sasuke reluctantly rejects at the idea of failing an assignment that he could so easily accomplish. Well, that was definitely easier said than done, considering every time he tried to get her to come out, he'd get nothing but silence. _'Just let her rot in her own filth for all I care!'_ the youngest Uchiha scoffed outwardly, not noticing the stares he was getting as he was still too busy arguing with himself. _'Gah! If I don't do it, it'll make me look stupid! That idiot Naruto would probably say something like "What, you couldn't befriend a girl? What a lame-o! Haha!" No! I won't lose to that idiot no matter what!'_

With renewed willpower driving him, Sasuke abruptly stood up, deciding that he would get her to talk to him one way or another. Oblivious to the two pairs of eyes exchanging amused glances at each other, the youngest Uchiha exited the living room, making a turn to the left to head upstairs. Once on the second floor, Sasuke took another left passing Naruto's room on the left, and the main bathroom on the right until he reached the room at the end of the hall across from his. His room also faced the front yard like Naruto's room since that room had its own bathroom like Itachi's which was on the other end of the hallway. He paused for a moment glaring at the wall before twisting his body to the right where a small white rectangular piece of wood hung, reading 'Sakura's Room.' A mocking snort was released. It was Itachi and Naruto's idea to put it up there to make her feel more welcomed; plus, the both of them have always wanted a little sister to dote and pick on—_'Which is ironic since she's older than me and the Dobe.' _Scoffing once more, Sasuke raised a closed hand to knock on the wood, only to falter briefly before resolving to follow through with the action since he was already at her door.

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_Knock!_

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As expected, only silence greeted him.

Tiredly, Sasuke sighed, hoping that this wasn't going to be a repeat of the last few days. "Look, Haruno, can you just come out and eat something at least?" Sasuke asked resignedly, not really wanting to fight again. "You haven't eaten anything since you came here."

Once again, the boy received no answer and was about to turn around and leave when a small piece of paper slipped from underneath the door to his feet. Curiously, he picked up the thin object and read an elegantly scripted _'No'_ written on the white sheet. The two little letters instantly snapped what small amount of patience he had left as he rudely started banging on the door obnoxiously.

"Don't make me drag your ass out of there, woman!" he growled furiously, considering he tried to be nice to her this time. "You can't stay in there forever!"

As soon as he finished shouting, another slip of paper slid through. Mumbling and grumbling grouchily, Sasuke bent down again to retrieve it and glance over the note.

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A vein popped.

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A brow twitched.

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A fist tightened.

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On the paper, it read mockingly:

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_Watch me._

_ Sincerely,_

_ Haruno Sakura_

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That was it! If she didn't want to come out, then he wouldn't force her since she obviously didn't want anything to do with them. "Fine! Do whatever you want!" Sasuke yelled angrily and out of breath. When he finally calmed down, he whispered, "I don't care anymore." With that, the Uchiha left downstairs and through the front door, telling Itachi and Naruto that he'll be out for a little bit, not even glancing at them as he did so.

Naruto was shocked when his best friend suddenly left like that, and debated on whether he should follow him or not.

"Naruto-kun," Itachi called out to the worrying boy, stealing his focus. "Go and talk to Sasuke; I'll talk to Sakura-chan." After Naruto gave an understanding nod of his head and went after Sasuke, Itachi exhaled a heavy breath before standing up to head to the kitchen to make some tea.

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_Obstinate Alteration_

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_11: 30 AM…_

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_ Bam!_

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From her window seat, mint green eyes followed, with a heavy heart, the running figure until he disappeared into the forest behind the Uchiha Estate; while ignoring the gluttonous demons hovering nearby, trying to get in. A nearly inaudible sigh was released as hands tightened the fluffy blue throw blanket around her petite body more snugly. Once she settled into her seat, Sakura leaned the left side of her temple on the glass, letting out another breath as it fogged the glass for a second before dissipating. She felt immensely guilty for treating Sasuke the way she did. But she figured that the more she pushed everyone away, the more they'll hate her which, in turn, would make them stay away from her. _'Besides…this is for the best,' _she thought melancholically, still staring in the direction the Uchiha went. _'No one would get hurt this way.' _ Even so, the young woman wondered why they were doing this in the first place as she recalled the event that occurred when she woke up three weeks ago.

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_ Flashback..._

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_ April 5__th__, 6: 00 PM…_

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'Ugh…my head…'_ Sakura woke up once again to the sounds of the heart monitor beeping and the curtains flapping, except it was now a little colder and the room was redder. Now that she remembered where she was at, there was no need for panic. Sitting up, she winced, feeling the ache in her right shoulder. Gingerly moving the fabric out of the way, she tried to suppress the miasma with her spiritual chakra if only a little to ease the pain. Once done, the pink haired teenager looked around, curious even though she was in the same room as before. Her light green eyes roamed slowly, taking in every detail, watching the shadows dance across the walls until they landed on the two sleeping boys on her right. The boy closest to her was the one she met in Yamakawa; the boy to his right was a blonde she never met before. At first she was alarmed, but she felt the same warmth radiating from him as she did with the dark male during their first meeting. He was asleep, too, she realized. Taking this opportunity to observe his features, a single brow rose at the sight of the whisker like markings. _

_ Even as weak as she was, Sakura could tell how strong the strength of their souls were and how kind and sad. Her eyes soften. _'Maybe I should give the blonde boy a chance,'_ she mused thoughtfully. _'His aura reminds me of otoutou…'

_ Not wanting to bring back unwanted memories, the spiritualist quickly averted her attention to the dark haired boy. His head was bowed down, so she couldn't look at him as clearly as the other—whose head was actually hanging over his shoulders, snoring loudly. Bending forward a bit and tilting her head to get a better view, her curious eyes could see up close that he was very handsome and less arrogant when sleeping. There was something soft and innocent about his features; his face wasn't as harsh and cold. She always found that sleep brought out the most vulnerable side of human beings that they hid during the day. It was at night, in the darkness that humans reveal their truer selves. That thought left her a little less curious now and more somber as her lithe form leaned over the railing, reason urging her to see his face—the face he hid in the sunlight. Her right hand, which was still sore—but she ignored the dull throbbing, reached over to move the long dark bangs that concealed him from her to reveal intensely black orbs staring back at her as a large hand grasped her thin wrist with a gentle but firm grip. With her movements frozen, her fingers were left to linger on his cheek, the contact tingling at her fingertips._

_ The young woman wasn't sure if he was feeling the same sensation as she did; but she had never seen such startling eyes before—eyes so deep and guarded. The more she stared into the depths of his gaze; the more sure she was that he was definitely feeling the same as she noticed the tiniest flicker of emotions. Sakura didn't know how long they gazed at each other for; but when the other boy began waking up, the brunette softly released her hand so she could pull back. The moment was already broken when the blonde opened his eyes._

_ Upon seeing his bright and clear eyes, Sakura had to bite back a gasp, the clarity of those orbs startling her. _'Otoutou…?' _ Her heart broke even more when the yellow-haired teen gave her his brightest smile like seeing her was the best thing that ever happened to him. It made her uncomfortable and scared at the same time as she shrank further into the pillows when he stuck his hand out at her._

_ "My name is Uzumaki Naruto dattebayo!" he introduced loudly while thumbing the boy to his left. "And this is Uchiha Sasuke-teme!" _

_ When she didn't respond back, the boy—Naruto—leaned closer, causing her eyes to widen in panic. Her body was weak enough as it is, she didn't have any more energy to fight back. Before Sakura could actually raise her arms to defend herself, the other teen—Sasuke—smacked him upside his head. Her green eyes snapped to Sasuke, but he was glaring at Naruto with a look of mild irritation._

_ "I-itai…" Naruto grounded out as his hands grasped his spiky head. "The hell, teme?!"_

_ The said teme only rolled his eyes at his friend's exasperation. "First off, this is a hospital, so tone down the volume," the stoic Uchiha reprimanded. "Secondly, what did Itachi and I say about personal space?"_

_ Sakura looked at Naruto to see blue eyes averted elsewhere as Naruto's bottom lip jutted out in a childish pout. "Not to invade them," he mumbled begrudgingly, hating to get lectured all the time._

_ Hearing the blonde's answer, the young woman unconsciously directed her blank stare to her right hand, still remembering the warmth that encased them. The entire moment, she failed to notice Sasuke staring at her from the corner of his eye until she lifted her pink head and he moved his eyes somewhere else._

_ "Ne, ne! Sakura-chan, is your hair really pink?" Naruto asked enthusiastically –and too excitedly for her liking—successfully gaining her focus at the suffix added to her name. _

_ She hardly met the guy and he was already getting friendly and familiar with her. A low sigh escaped her dry lips as two things dawned upon her. One, she could already see her future filled with a lot of annoyance and trouble, and she had a feeling all of that would be caused by this 'kid.' And two, Sakura just realized how thirsty and hungry she was. Just how long has it been since she ate anything? Hell, she didn't even know what day of the week it was! _'Ugh…I'm so hungry!'

_Just then, an apple was shoved in front of her face along with a glass of refreshing water. Knowing who it came from, Sakura glimpsed at Sasuke in bewilderment, not taking either of the items._

_ Sasuke sensed her question and grunted. "You've been here for a week now," he began slowly, looking at everything else but her. "They put you on a liquid-only diet, and I figured you'd be hungry by the time you wake up," he finished the longest sentence of his life, finally looking at her directly to show her that he was serious. But still, she wouldn't take it because he didn't answer her question. Scoffing at her attitude, Sasuke said, "It's April 5__th__; you've been in Konoha City since the 29__th__ of March. Now eat already."_

_ A bit miffed at his rudeness, the young woman wordlessly did as she was told and took the items from him, eating them slowly so her stomach could get used to the sudden solid foods again. However, she didn't realize just how hungry she was until she just ate anything the Uchiha handed her. Five apples, three oranges, two bananas—Itachi got her a fruit basket to be nice—and, four glasses of water later, the three settled into silence once more, just listening to the wind outside._

_ Of course, sitting quietly wasn't really Naruto's thing, so he brought up the subject about her hair again. "Since you didn't answer," Naruto began, two pairs of eyes staring at him, "Is your hair naturally pink?"_

_ "Huuuh…" Sakura knew he was going to ask again. Honestly, why do people always ask her that? It's not like she wanted to be born with pink hair. So to save herself from a thousand more questions, she nodded in confirmation._

_ His eyes lit up and Sakura braced herself for the next barrage of questions she knew would come. "That's cool!" he exclaimed jovially, and then added, "I think you're very pretty, Sakura-chan"—Sakura and Sasuke both choked at his words, but Naruto continued as if he hadn't heard them or he simply ignored them, they weren't sure—"I don't think anyone could pull it off better than you."_

_ Sakura coughed to clear her throat, wondering if she heard right. However, observing the blonde's grin and the brunette's incredulous glare, she definitely didn't imagine it. Coughing again, Sakura turned away to hide her embarrassed blush, not use to hearing compliments like that thrown her way._

_ "Anyways, I hope we get along well," the hyperactive teen commented, Sakura now tuning him out until he said, "…since you're going to be on the same team and all."_

_ At this, as all of her phobias lie forgotten, Sakura was immediately standing before the Uzumaki and yanked his collar up, lifting him from his seat effortlessly, until his face was inches from hers. "What?" she hissed acidly, not liking what was happening. _'On their team? What the fuck is he talking about?'

_It was then Sasuke decided to intervene and stood up coolly from his chair with hands in his pockets and his stoic face on. "The Hokage—the woman with blonde hair that injected you with the drug," Sasuke reminded, seeing as how she looked at him confusedly, "—she and her assistant got some of the shouki out, but they didn't know how to heal you completely."_

_ Sakura sneered haughtily. _'Of course she wouldn't,' _she mocked inwardly. _'Not unless she's a priestess.'

_"Look Haruno, we just want to help you; however, since you're a ward of the state, you're not allowed to live on your own," Sasuke explained and then went on to clarify further. "From now on, you're going to be under my watch—"_

_ The spiritualist felt as if a whole wheelbarrow of bricks toppled onto her as his words echoed through her mind endlessly. _'His watch?' _she repeated, but it didn't look like he was done, so she shook herself momentarily of her thoughts to pay attention._

_ Sasuke took a deep breath, seriously not believing that this was happening. "And you'll be living with us: me, Naruto, and my brother," he concluded, gauging her reaction from beneath his lashes. He could see instantly how quick the information was sinking in as her expressions swiftly went from shock to rage. In the span of a few seconds, her grip on Naruto's collar tightened as she swung her body to the right, gaining momentum while she threw the blonde at his friend. The two collided painfully, falling to the ground roughly. When Sakura jumped through the window again, doing a repeat of earlier that afternoon, Sasuke groaned loudly in annoyance. He pushed Naruto off himself before jumping through the open space while yelling, "Hurry up! We need to stop her!_

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_ Up ahead, Sakura cursed her luck now that the two boys were chasing her. If she could get past those large gates, they won't go after her…hopefully. Because there was no way in hell she was going to stay in a city like this. She didn't want anything to do with them. She didn't like the familiarity of it all. It was too strange and comforting at the same time. Distracted by her roaming thoughts, Sakura failed to notice a large fire ball aimed her way until it was nearly too late. She let out a surprised yelp and used the tiled roof to propel her to the left hastily, barely dodging it. The giant burning sphere flew past her to land in the middle of what looked like to be a training field. Unable to stop her fall and land perfectly, Sakura wrapped her arms around her head to shield herself from the impact. Expecting to break some bones, the rosette was shocked when her landing didn't hurt as bad. Looking up, a splash of orange invaded her vision and she scrambled away panicking, trying to flee once more._

_ "Oof!"_

_ The young woman ran into a hard chest and tried to inevitably to push away, but she was lifted until her stomach was on Sasuke's hard shoulder and all she saw was blue. Refusing to give up without a fight and settling on the decision to make his life miserable, the fifteen year old started flailing her legs wildly and hitting his back roughly like a banshee as she inwardly prayed that the movements would loosen his hold. But his hand only gripped her harder._

_ "Hold still!" the Uchiha grunted, feeling her knee his chest. "Are you trying to reopen your wounds?!" _

_ His hands attempted to grip her legs tightly; only that proved to make the situation worse as his legs gave way and they both fell backwards. The crash pushed the air from his lungs excruciatingly as Sasuke found that he couldn't breathe and panicked. Snapping his eyes open wide, he could only open them even wider while blood rushed to his cheeks at an alarming rate. The ability to breathe was getting more and more difficult. His chest constricted painfully in nervousness and embarrassment. As an Uchiha, Sasuke was taught to be calm, cool, and collected for any type of situation that may occur—be it being surrounded and outnumbered or in a fight to the death, etc. However, what his training never taught him was how to react when his face was being suffocated by a pair of nicely sized breasts. Luckily for him, though, he didn't have to do much since the girl on top of him let out a tiny gasp and swiftly jumped off of him._

_ Sakura, on the other hand, was most extremely embarrassed and humiliated that she had landed on top of a boy she hardly met. _'Not that this was the first time it happened, but still!' _she thought absentmindedly, remembering the time with the re—_

_ "Oi!" Sasuke called rudely, abruptly disrupting her reminiscing. "Can you stop trying to run away for a minute? We're trying to help you!"_

_ Having had enough, Sakura just snapped, her cheeks reddening further in anger. "Well maybe I don't want your help!" she spat ungratefully, not really paying attention to how the sound of her voice affected the boys. They were both taken aback. Sure, they expected her voice to be girly, but they thought it would be quieter and high-pitched. Except it was soft and medium-toned—none of the ear-piercing sound that hurt their ear drums like they thought. "Maybe I was fine on my own! I don't need your goddamn pity!" By the end of her shouts, her chest was heaving heavily and her face flushed as she whipped around, this time stomping her way out of the forest._

_ Seeing the girl stalk off, Naruto immediately ran to her, grabbing her arm. Though, he had to hold back a flinch when her now dark green eyes directed her burning gaze at him. "A-at least stay at the hospital to heal your wounds," he suggested nervously._

_ Thinning her glare more, Sakura wondered if he was being sincere or not. It wasn't like they gave her any evidence to prove that they only wanted to help her. In her experience, help always came with a price. Eyes shifted warily to the dark male several yards away who kept his eyes on anything but her. She didn't know if she should trust these people or not; it really wasn't a risk she was willing to take. But she was tired. She was tired of fighting alone. Wasn't this what she wanted in the first place, though? To not be alone anymore? Wasn't this what she wished for on her birthday? Teeth bit her bottom lip uncertainly as she looked at the boys who came all this way to get her back despite the way she treated them. _

_ 'Promise me you'll find happiness, Neechan…'_

_ Sakura closed her eyes as the promise she made echoed loudly in her mind. _'Fine…you win…'

_"Alright…let's go back," came her soft and exhausted whisper._

_ The two boys caught each others' surprised expression and nodded slowly as they escorted the spiritualist back to the hospital._

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_ April 9__th__…_

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_ For the past few days, Sakura was determined to make their life a living hell when Sasuke and Naruto brought her back to the white building. Even though she resigned to staying in Konoha City, they didn't know that. So during those days, she wanted to test their commitment and tried to escape five times and each time they stopped her. Eventually figuring out that they wouldn't let her leave on the premises that she was still wounded badly, Sakura couldn't help but feel relieved and annoyed at the same time at their behavior. Relieved because it was nice to know that they actually wanted her to stay, but annoyed since they were mothering her like she was delicate or something. Finally, after ignoring their presence, on the last day of her stay at the hospital, Sakura spoke to them._

_ "You'll what?!"_

_ The rosette let out a hiss while covering her ears. Making sure Naruto wasn't going to interrupt her again, Sakura reiterated stubbornly though through gritted teeth, "I said I decided to go to the Academy and…work with…you…guys."_

_ When the grin on Naruto's face broke out wider and Sasuke's eyes rolled in exasperation, she thought dreadfully, _'Oh god…'

_"Yosha!" came the happy exclamation as the hyper teen jumped in the air while pumping a fist. "This is great! We finally have a fourth member on our team!" He landed perfectly on his feet while wrapping his arms around his teammates' shoulders. "Teme! We finally have a little sister!"_

_ Naturally, Sakura reacted badly at the sudden contact, and the result was instantaneous with her delivering strong punches to both boys' jaws._

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_End Flashback…_

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Even though she had agreed to their terms almost two weeks ago, Sakura still wasn't very comfortable with the idea of living with three boys—well, two hormonal teenage boys and a full grown man. However, so far, they did nothing to make her doubt their sincerity. She felt that she could actually trust them, especially Naruto and Sasuke. It was somewhat astonishing that not only did she have a connection to Sasuke, but Naruto as well. But the connection she felt with him wasn't nearly as strong as it was with Sasuke. What she felt with him was more brotherly, something she missed and hated at the same time. At the reminder, pink brows pulled together in a disheartening frown. When the boys helped her settle in, Itachi came and told her that most of her belongings were destroyed by some demons, but he was able to find her secret stash of money. He said that the seals were worn off and that nothing survived the damage.

_'So that means he could find the ashes…' _she thought sadly. _'Maybe this is a good thing…'_

Sakura knew that the problem wasn't the boys, but herself. After all those years of abuse, it was difficult to put her trust in people she hardly knew even though they did all they could to make her feel welcomed and comfortable. And what did she do? She pushed them away—pushed him away until he couldn't stand her any longer. Annoyed with herself, Sakura groaned loudly, banging her forehead against the windowpane.

_Knock!_

_ Knock!_

_0_

The oldest Uchiha stood outside the dark wooden barrier with a tray of tea and onigiri he made earlier. Though she gave no response, Itachi made his presence known as he opened the door slowly. On the other side of the room, he watched her visibly relax when she realized that it was him and not his brother invading her privacy. However, the man could see that she was still on guard and distrusting. Setting the tray near her feet on the window seat, Itachi then sat on the bed which was a good distance from her so she wouldn't feel so awkward.

Gesturing to the food, the oldest Uchiha requested, "Sakura-chan, you should eat so you have the strength to heal your injuries." Seeing her about to retort back, Itachi quickly countered her excuse first by saying, "You didn't eat anything since you've arrived. Eat—I want no arguments."

Frowning, Sakura could clearly see where Sasuke got his rudeness from, and only did as she was told because she _was_ tired of arguing. While she warily crawled out of her cocoon, his eyes caught the clothes she was wearing and chuckled inwardly. Because she had no clothes—well clothes that fit her anyways—to wear, Sasuke gave—more like forced with incoherent cursing—her some of his clothes until they could go shopping for some. Though apparently, she actually received clothing from Ino, Sakura had said that they were too small. Either way, he thought it was cute that his little brother loaned her his clothes, despite being a brat about it. Plus she looked adorable with the Uchiha fan on her back. As the fifteen year old spiritualist ate quietly, Itachi sighed heavily, taking note of her staring outside.

"You should give Sasuke a chance if you're feeling guilty for ignoring him the whole week," his voice said in an offhanded tone, but Sakura heard the implications and froze anyways. "Even though he said you are his mission, he really does want to get to know you. Same thing with Naruto—sure he's annoying sometimes, but he has a good heart. They both do. They just have an odd way of showing they care."

As the last bite of the rice ball disappeared in her mouth and the tea drained completely, green inquisitive orbs gazed at him keenly. "What are your intentions?" she questioned stoically. "What's your purpose in keeping me here?"

Itachi blinked. It was the most he's ever heard come out of her. "What do you mean?" he asked back innocently, wondering what she thought their intentions were.

Green eyes narrowed cautiously. "There's no way you people are keeping me here out of the goodness of your heart," her response came accusingly and bitterly as if speaking from experience. Then, like she just lost a fight, the girl released her glare and opted to stare back into the forest. "There's always something people want in return whether it's gratitude or some favor." She turned her head around at him tiredly. "So…what are your intentions?"

Itachi didn't respond immediately. Instead he opted to stand up and took the last few steps across the small space to her, staring down at her. Taking her hand which she tried to pull back, though he kept firm, he placed her hand over his heart. Itachi parted his lips, "What don't you read my heart and find out?"

"N-nani?" she blurted out anxiously, eyes widening in alarm.

"Find out whether I'm lying or not," Itachi replied coolly, his kindness fading away to show how serious he was. "If you're as good as Kakashi-san and everyone says you are, then you should have no problem telling if someone is lying to you. Am I right?"

With her hand still in his tight grip, Sakura could only glance away, not being able to bear the intensity of his eyes. "I can't," she whispered softly, her face contorting in an expression of pain.

"Why? I'm making it easier for you, aren't I?" the man questioned mockingly. "Just do it. Tell me if I'm lying to you."

Sakura dropped her head hopelessly. She never liked reading someone's heart because she was never really sure what she would find out if she did. Sometimes people could say different things, but their heart can't ever lie no matter hard they tried. "Please, Itachi-san, I can't."

"What are you afraid of?"

Her head snapped back up. "What?"

Seeing the honest fear of being lied to in her eyes, Itachi softened his gaze. "I promise you I'm not lying to you," he assured comfortingly.

Finally, Sakura nodded her head stiffly before proceeding to close her eyes to concentrate as she flattened her hand against the beat of his heart and listened.

…

…

…

_ In the depths of her mind, Sakura could hear nothing of Uchiha Itachi's heart at first. It was so quiet and dark that she thought he felt nothing at all; but she pushed deeper, knowing that there had to be some sort of feeling that he kept hidden._

_ Ba-bump!_

_ She gave a light gasp._

…

…

…

In the real world, Itachi could only close his eyes as he felt her move through his deep emotions that he kept hidden for so long.

…

…

…

_Sakura felt herself being pulled towards a warmth so kind and sorrowful that she felt her own heart constrict at what this man went through. The burden of being the eldest son; the burden of being an older brother; the burden of being a shinobi…_

…

…

…

_ …The burden of being an Uchiha…_

…

…

…

_ 'Shinobi…?'_

…

…

…

_ 'Uchiha…?'_

…

…

…

_ And then suddenly, Sakura almost wanted to cry for the man before her for the pain he felt of losing his parents and having to take care of the two boys. She could feel deeply that he did not care for fighting and only wanted peace. But there was a determination that would will out any sympathy he'd feel for an enemy should his loved ones be endangered. There was a fierce loyalty in him that not even the darkest hatred could penetrate. The earnestness of his words then rang clearly in her mind as she sensed no malice and finally pulled away._

…

…

…

Opening her eyes slowly, they remained blank, staring into the black of the Head Uchiha's shirt. She dropped her hand from his grip lifelessly and Itachi backed away carefully to not startle her. Crouching to her eye level, the young man could see that she believed him, but felt guilty at the intrusion. As much as he wanted to, Itachi could not comfort her right now. He wasn't the person to do it. He was going to open his mouth and say something until he caught the movement of her lips.

Leaning closer, he asked, "What was that?"

"Taisetsu na hitotachi ka?" she murmured softly.

He leaned back, giving her direct eye contact to show her that he was serious. "Yes, my important people," Itachi enunciated firmly with a strong nod, taking her small hand in his. "You are one of my important people now."

Lavender lids closed tightly as the muscles in her face constricted to that of silent agony. "Why?" she barely got out. "I don't…I don't understand…"

After witnessing a piece of herself that she allowed him to see, Itachi could only sigh sadly for her, wondering just where that smiling little girl went. So instead of answering her query, he responded with, "I know what happened to you—about your childhood—" Green eyes widen abruptly and then thinned dangerously at the mention of her childhood, but allowed him to proceed. "They may have been different circumstances, but Sasuke and Naruto know of your loneliness."

This statement right away catches her off guard, but she wouldn't let him see her in that that. "I don't need your sympathy."

"Maybe not, but I just want to tell you that the boys know nothing of your abuse," Itachi informed, still patient with her despite her attitude. "So before you judge them, you should know that Naruto was orphaned the day he was born before my mother took him in when he was five"—yet again, Sakura was surprised at the new information and felt even more ashamed for treating them the way she did—"And we lost our clan when the two were only twelve."

For some reason she couldn't stop herself. The question just popped out. "Nande?"

The older Uchiha inwardly smiled at her interest and waited for her to clarify.

The rosette sensed this and pouted in annoyance before softening her gaze. "Why would your mother help a child she didn't even know?"

"Because she was a mother and friends with his mother," he answered simply, noting her bewildered countenance. "What your mother did to you was wrong, but that's why you build other bonds to fill in that gap that she caused. When you have friends you can trust with all your heart, then it's okay to let yourself be vulnerable sometimes and need them. It makes the sadness easier to bear when you're not alone because you know that those people will always be by your side."

"But what if you get hurt by those people you trust?" Sakura questioned back almost silently. At this inquiry, the young man already knew to whom she was referring to. "What then? How do you even know they're the right people?"

"That's why you become stronger and stand up. And if you can't do it on your own, there are others to help. You'll know who these people are when you see them." Itachi stood up again, placing a brotherly hand on her head. "Sometimes the help your friends give you will hurt you, make you confident, make you sad; however, they will always push to make you stronger."

For once, Sakura didn't flinch at the contact, the weight of his words once more leaning heavily on her. To let herself be vulnerable? That was simply a foolish notion that people used to take advantage of others. The last time she let herself be vulnerable, everything turned out disastrously. No, she couldn't let herself get hurt again. It was just too much to deal with if she got her hopes up just to have them shot down deep. It was no use. She thought she could keep her promise, but she just can't. It was too hard, and _would_ be even harder if she let herself get attached to Sasuke and Naruto. No, once she healed up, she would leave this place for good.

…

…

…

…

…

_"…Sasuke and Naruto know of your loneliness…"_

…

…

…

…

…

_ "We finally have a little sister!"_

…

…

…

…

…

_ "Can you stop running away for a minute?! We're trying to help you!"_

…

…

…

…

…

Out of nowhere those words popped into her head, all thoughts on her escape attempt stopped suddenly, all the determination leaving her. The kind words…that warmth on top of her head—these were things she wanted for a long time, but never received. She wanted a real family who cared for and worried about her if something happened to her. She missed the feeling of someone wanting to know where she was. She missed the loud sounds of laughter and banter. And if she was completely honest with herself, Sakura would admit that she was starting to like the boys she was now living with. Itachi was like a big brother she never had and always wanted; Naruto definitely reminded her of her deceased brother; and Sasuke…well, he confused her. Sometimes he was nice to her, sometimes not; however, she could safely say that he was the only one she didn't feel as a brother. What they had, she was sure, was beyond that of acquaintances—maybe they were, dare she say, friends now? She didn't know either way. But one thing she was certain of: she didn't want to be alone anymore and was frankly exhausted of it.

She didn't know how long she spaced out for, but when she came to, it was the sound of her stomach growling loudly that cut through the silence. A blush instantly burned her cheeks when an amused chuckle sounded from above. Tilting her pink head back a bit stiffly—Itachi still had his hand on her head—she glared at him, the light pink hue still tinting her cheeks.

"What?" the older man asked between laughs, seeing her death glare and shrugged. "That's what you get for not eating the food I made you last week." Ruffling her hair affectionately—much to her dismay—while glancing at the clock on the night table to his left, Itachi said, "Why don't we go out to eat? I could show you around town in case you want to look around some more on your own and not get lost." After she gave him a silent nod, her gaze pointed back at the forest dejectedly. His obsidian eyes softened. "Don't worry; you can apologize when we get back. So get dressed and I'll meet you downstairs—we'll take the car."

"Ahem!"

He barely opened the door when he turned around to look at her with a raised brow. "What is it?"

The girl pulled on the hem of the dark blue shirt she was wearing like it was obvious. Her facial expression read: "These are the only clothes I have and they're not even mine!"

"Oh! Well, just wash up then and we'll get you some new clothes, too," Itachi said curtly before shutting the door shortly after.

Sakura was reluctant in leaving the safety of the room, but got ready either way since she was too hungry to argue back.

_0_

_0_

_0_

_Immovable Change_

_0_

_0_

_0_

_Downtown Konoha City…_

…

…

…

Driving down to the city was something to behold, especially for someone who has always grown up in small villages and towns. The buildings were significantly taller than from her view at the time of her hospital stay. Even when she craned her neck back to see past the wind shield, the tops of the buildings could still not be seen. Also, one thing she noticed was the amount of cars on the street. She had never seen so much in one place. Usually anyone who owned a car was wealthy while most folks in small towns usually walked. There were so many people as well, all in many different fashion trends. She could see some young girls dressed in what she assumed to be Lolita fashion. The young woman had only ever seen that type of clothing on TV or in a magazine; so seeing it in real life, she thought that the dresses were pretty cute. The liveliness of the city almost reminded her of her time at her grandmother's place in Kaminari no Kuni.

Nervously, Sakura swallowed a thick lump in her throat. Sure, everything was new and exciting; but that didn't mean that she could easily forgot her fears. Since the time of her live burial and the large mobs, Sakura had grown up to be extremely claustrophobic and agoraphobic. So naturally, the tightness of the packs of people gave her a bit of an anxiety attack. Not to mention the small space of the car. Yes, there was enough room between her and Itachi; however, it felt like she was trapped in the space with so many barriers such as the doors and windows blocking her escape. She felt the car lurch to a stop all of a sudden before proceeding to take a right turn. Just then, her heart dropped with a heavy thud when she realized where they were headed. Automatically, her hand gripped the door handle with a deathly purchase as Itachi drove the car into a dark parking garage. The spaciousness of the car suddenly felt tinier as the darkness engulfed them.

_'Calm down—it's just a garage!' _she scolded herself only to inwardly groan. _'Ugh…this is why I prefer my bike; it's not stuffy.' _ Then this thought led to another thought. She suddenly wondered whatever happened to her bike. He never mentioned it in the destroyed belongings. _'Maybe he brought it over? I should ask Itachi-san.'_

The car was finally parked and the girl gratefully welcomed the open space once her foot touched the concrete ground. After he locked the car and they went down the flight of stairs—Sakura didn't want to get in the elevator—she asked softly, "When you…" she paused when the older man twisted around attentively and curiously. "When you retrieved some of my belongings," she averted her eyes at the ground apprehensively, "…did you happen to find a…vase there?" Her mint green eyes blinked once confusedly. She obviously didn't want to ask that since she was afraid of what the answer might have been if she did. It was a question she wanted to avoid at all costs just in case. But apparently her Inner self really wanted to know; and in her anxiety, Sakura just blurted it out unknowingly.

Finally after the longest moment of her life, Itachi said, "No, I'm sorry."

Immediately, her countenance fell at the news. _'H-he couldn't find it…?'_

Itachi frowned slightly at the crestfallen expression. Walking back up the couple of steps, he placed a hand on her shoulder gently. "Was it something important?"

The young woman shook her head quickly. "No, it's fine," came her weak assurance, and then went ahead of her new guardian, wanting to hide her face. "Let's get this over with."

As soon as they stepped from the garage and into the sun, the young girl immediately pushed back into the walls by the door of the stairway. The sea of people before her was too overwhelming. It was nothing compared to seeing it from the safety of the vehicle. Granted the car was a bit suffocating, it was nothing like what she was feeling at the moment. There was so many people crowded together—being practically squished against each other, shoulder to shoulder. Just looking at them, the strong sense of tightness with no way of escape crept up on her heavily. Her chest constricted painfully as her heart sped up erratically, her breathing rapid and jagged while she began to perspired profusely.

The raven haired man immediately noticed her panic attack and quickly tried to calm her. "Sakura, breathe…breathe…" he instructed slowly, taking deep breaths with her and rubbing her back soothingly. "Come on, Sakura, breathe."

The fifteen year old did as she was instructed to, and took in quick breaths at first until she was able to calm her racing heart and inhale deeper and slower breaths. Still anxious, she tried to speak in between the inhalations. "I-I…"

"What was that?" he asked, bending his head down to listen more closely. "Just concentrate on your breathing, sweetheart. There you go," he encouraged, continuing to rub her back. "Now start slower."

With eyes still glued to the crowding bodies and repeated his words like a mantra in her head; Sakura repeated so softly, Itachi barely caught it, "I-I'm fine now. Let's go."

Black brows furrowed. "Are you sure? We could come back and do this later."

She shook her head, bangs sweeping against her sweaty forehead lightly. "No, let's go," Sakura said again more firmly. "I need to get used to this if I'm going to live here."

Itachi sighed at the child's stubbornness. "Alright, but let me know when you're feeling uncomfortable and we'll take a break okay?" When the Haruno gave him a determined nod, Itachi had a feeling it was going to be a long day.

_0_

_5: 00 PM…_

…

…

…

It was official. Today was one of the worst days of her life—_'Well…not counting my multiple near deaths and horrible childhood, of course,' _she reminded herself. But still, it was pretty horrible. She was so happy to be back in the safety of the care as her body slouched forward with her forehead pressed against the glove compartment. At the moment, she could not give a damn if she had a rectangular mark embedded on her forehead if it could get rid of her headache, she was fine with that. She was just glad that that they could get out of that horror show. Through her curtain of hair, a left green eye stole a glance at the Uchiha who was driving rather cheerfully—much to her annoyance. Redirecting her glare back to the gray mat on the floor of the vehicle, Sakura groaned loudly.

"Oh come on!" Itachi said good-naturedly. "It wasn't that bad!"

At the comment, Sakura silently gave him the finger, but quickly withdrew the offending finger to grasp her head when the man drove over a speed bump. "I hate you…" she grumbled.

He let out another chuckle. Although Itachi pitied the girl, he couldn't help but be amused at her reactions when they went shopping for clothes. She had blushed angrily the entire time when some people pointed out the Uchiha fan on her back. At first she didn't understand what that meant until a girl came up to them asking tearfully if they were married. At the time, the man could see how hard it was for her to reel herself in and not viciously attack the ignorant girl. After much explaining, the girl apologized and went off her merry way. But after that, she was flooded with glares and stares and whispers. Though Itachi was used to the attention, he couldn't blame Sakura for being a people-phobe and wanting to kill all those people. He, in fact, had thought about it several times but thought that it wasn't worth going to jail for.

Momentarily, they were driving to a place that was quite popular according to Itachi, but was in a quieter part of the city thankfully. She didn't know if she could handle any more of the probing eyes. The rosette lifted her head when she felt the car stop and noticed that they were outside a flower shop. They were parked parallel with the store and there were very few people now that it was soon late in the evening. Stepping from the car cautiously and taking in several deep intakes of air, the spiritualist found that she liked this part of town. The spirits on this side were more benevolent than the ones in the shopping district—the ones over there were hovering over her, but surprisingly they didn't latch onto her like they normally did. She was sure that her seal had weakened and she haven't had the time or energy to put up a new seal. Her shoulders shrugged uncaringly, deciding to think about the seal problem later.

The spirits here were calmer and friendlier and some even gave her a nod of acknowledgment. And she could see why. It was quiet and peaceful with a great view of the sun setting over the mountains and forests surrounding Konoha City. It was drastically different from the business rush downtown. She felt like she stepped back in time here. There was barely any sign of the modern world except for a few things like the automatic doors and security cameras here and there; but other than that, the buildings were totally old-fashioned. With silent observation, she followed the older Uchiha sibling into the flower shop while reading the business name above.

_'Yamanaka Flowers?'_

"Welcome! Ah! Itachi-san, what brings you here?"

The familiar voice caught Sakura's attention as she moved her eyes from the amazing flower collection to the register. Instantly, her body froze upon setting eyes on the familiar blonde nurse that she attacked in the hospital. With stiffness, her feet moved her body behind Itachi as if to shield herself. Her fists clenched so steadfastly, Sakura could feel blood being drawn, but quickly pushed the pain aside.

Closing her eyes to not look at her any longer, she chanted mentally, _'She's not Mother. She's not Mother. She's not Mother.'_

While she was off in head, Itachi was a bit worried, wondering if she would attack the Yamanaka heiress again. However, when she reopened her eyes, all the fear disappeared and was replaced with a guarded calmness.

Ino also noticed this and decided to try to break the uncomfortable tension. "How are you, Sakura-san?" Ino asked gently, taking note of her slightly surprised green eyes.

Before the pink-haired teen could answer, the Uchiha answered for her. "Sakura-chan is still in pain, but doing better than last time."

Sympathetically, baby blues stared at her with a smile. "Well if you need help, I'm here any time."

Still shocked, the rosette only nodded her head.

The blonde smiled wider at the reaction. "Did you like the clothes I got you? I kind of get carried away sometimes."

"Actually, that's why we're out and about," Itachi interjected smoothly which Sakura was grateful for. She wasn't ready to talk with the blonde girl yet. "We were shopping for new clothes because they were small and a bit…revealing."

"Huh…I swore it would fit her; but if she doesn't want it, then I…"

Sakura had long ago tuned out their conversation as something on the other side of the flower shop caught her eyes. Moving hypnotically to the far right side of the shop, her body stopped before a large variety of camellias. There were so many types that she had only seen in books. She knew that there were six classifications of the blossom: single petal; semi-double petal with the hose-in-hose stamen display; anemone form; peony form; rose double; and formal double. The young woman was also aware that they only blossom from early January through early March—she was actually surprised to see some blooming during this time.

The only ones she was familiar with were the semi-double and rose double camellias since they were her favorites. The blossoms with the deep shades of pink were always in her home before she left Oto long ago. She knew about them solely due to the fact that her little brother always brought them to her whenever he visited her in secret. However, as beautiful they may be, she was sad most of the time because the flowers carried no scent. Since she had the name 'Sakura', she often contemplated whether Tsubaki was best suited for her instead since she, too, had no beautiful scent like that of the cherry blossoms. The name 'Sakura' means to be kind and gentle, but she was neither. To be named 'Tsubaki' might have been a better choice considering the flower was known to bring bad luck despite its beauty. This was due to the fact that the blossom fell as a whole instead of petal by petal like most flowers.

_'I should have been the first to go…not him,' _Sakura thought sorrowfully as she kneeled down to reached out to touch the red petal. Though she hesitated; her hand hovered over the flower, afraid that it might fall if she touched it. She sat there for a long while, so absorbed in her thoughts that she failed to notice the two pairs of eyes watching her from outside the flower shop.

_0_

_0_

_0_

_Willful Adjustment _

_0_

_0_

_0_

_Meanwhile with Sasuke and Naruto…_

…

…

…

Sasuke was walking speedily, trying unsuccessfully to get rid of Naruto; but the blonde male was persistent and stubborn. When he left the house this morning, he just wanted some peace to clear his head. He didn't, however, anticipate Naruto following him. Afterwards, the whole day was spent futilely ignoring the Uzumaki ranting about his uptightness and how he should attempt to talk to Sakura gain. They were actually heading over to the Yamanaka flower shop so they could put new flowers on their parents'—Naruto was practically raised as a part of the Uchiha family since he was five on Sasuke's mother's insistence—graves.

Naruto let out another childish sigh, folding his hands behind his head while rolling his eyes at his brother. "Seriously, why do you act like you hate her?" he chided. "Especially considering you were all protective of her the whole time she was asleep."

The dark-haired teen was about to respond to the question until he saw someone he least expected kneeling by the door. Naruto caught this, and moved his gaze over to the entrance and also stopped slightly astonished to see Sakura out of the house. The boys didn't really acknowledged the other people's existence as they passed them, too distracted by her melancholic face to pay any attention to the greetings sent their way. The moment they saw her face, they knew instantly what she felt.

"She looks so sad," Naruto commented quietly, feeling his throat crack if he went any higher. "I don't know why, but for some reason, I get what she's feeling right now."

Sasuke said nothing. He didn't have to since Naruto said it all for him. It was then his sharp obsidian eyes noticed the movement of her hand unconsciously grabbing for something that wasn't there. Something clicked in his brain. _'The necklace…is that what she's reaching for?' _Sasuke pondered curiously, instantaneously catching the pain that flashed in her eyes when her hand caught air.

Feeling guilty, Sasuke led his eyes away from the girl, and turned back to the direction they came. "Let's go," he told Naruto softly, not wanting to be there anymore.

The said boy glanced at the pink haired girl once more before jogging to catch up with the silent Uchiha. "I've never seen anyone who looks…I don't know…," Naruto tried to explain with difficult. "She looks like she…like she regrets being alive."

Sasuke snapped his head at Naruto's direction with eyes wide. "What makes you say that?"

The boy shrugged. "I don't know," he replied simply. "I just have a feeling that that's what she felt." He looked at Sasuke seriously. "I really think you should talk to her, Sasuke."

The Uchiha frowned at this. "Why is this so important to you?"

Stopping suddenly, Naruto tilted his head back to stare at the sky as it gradually turned from dark blue to orange with the sun setting behind them. It didn't matter how dark the shadows on his face were or how bright the outline of his body was, Sasuke could still see how brightly his eyes shined with a knowing sadness and understanding—one of which Sasuke knew too well. It was hard to forget sometimes, but Sasuke was well aware of all the ridicule Naruto faced before his family decided to take him in. He didn't know how the blonde did it though. To be able to smile everyday despite all the pain he felt. Sasuke was certain a long time ago that if he didn't have his older brother or Naruto, he would've gone insane from the hatred and loneliness. If he didn't have the two of them, he wondered briefly if he would've grown up like Haruno Sakura. She grew so alone that she trusted no one, not even her own relatives. Taking another look at the somber blonde beside him, Sasuke understood why this was so important to him. He didn't want anyone to experience the same kind of sadness they did; to bear all of that loneliness was too much no matter how strong a person one was. That person would be too broken beyond repair.

Tilting his head back also, Sasuke let his mind wander back to her broken form, curious as to how long she endured all that pain. How long has it been since she let anyone care for her? How long has it been since she cared for anyone back? Will she ever let anyone in again? Will she ever let herself be vulnerable enough to? _Can _she let down her walls to? But there was a far more serious question that he needed to answer before he answered the other ones.

_'How do I put back a person that's been broken in so many pieces?'_

* * *

**PLEASE READ! YOU BETTER!**

Holy crap! It's been a little over a month since I've updated-it's two in the morning right now! I am so sorry! I've had to do so many papers before midterms it's not even funny! Anyways, this chapter is **30 pages long!** Took me freakin forever to write. The date April 22nd is my birthday-I didn't even mean for that to happen, it just did haha!

On another important note, because I can't address this person on their actual page because they decided to disable their pm, I'm going to have to talk about it here. I thought I'd do them a favor by sparing them the humiliation but instead I can't. So here it is.

To sasusaku3623649 who wrote this lovely review:

Your story pisses me off . Why can't they leave Sakura alone damn like mind  
their own business . They are making decision for Sakura when its not even  
their decision to make . To put it bluntly I really don't like this fanfiction

**ENOUGH SAID. PLEASE REFER TO MY PET PEEVES SECTION IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY. ** **IT'S #7.**

**This review was one of the reasons why it took me so long to update.** I have never had this problem with my other fics before-which totally sucks by the way due to lack of organization-but when I actually plan it out and thought about what to write next, I get so much ridicule. Honestly, can't I just put up my story without hearing you whiners out there? I mean, good god! IT'S A STORY! RELAX! IT'S NOT GOING TO KILL YOU! GRR!

_**ANYWAYS!**_ HOPEFULLY! I'll get back on my regular schedule since my final lab report will be done in two weeks and I don't have to worry about writing any more papers and midterms will be over...until finals!

_**ONE MORE **__**THING!**_ I was wondering if you guys would be nice enough to hit 90 reviews for me since we're at the 9th chapter now? It would be awesome if we could! Because I would definitely love to hit 100 reviews before or on the 10th chapter-**WHICH WOULD HAVE THE MOST SASUSAKU INTERACTION!**

_Most importantly, I would like to truly truly TRULY thank those for sticking with me and this fic and hope that you will continue to do so in the future!_

Anyways, as always, please be kind and review (no flames-can't believe I have to say this now). Reviews are my drug!

Sincerely,

Hoozuki


	10. Chapter X: Talking

_Chapter X_

_By: Hoozuki_

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_Talking_

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"_I believe one of the hardest things you can do is conquer your fears, but if you have a goal, then it's your job to __open up__ and let it be real no matter how scary it seems.__"_

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_Thursday, April 22__nd__…._

_Itachi's car, 6: 00 PM…_

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"Itachi-san?"

The man on the driver side glanced at the caller on his right for a mere second before he redirected his focus back on the road. "What is it, Sakura-chan?" he returned just as quietly, somewhat surprised that she decided to break the silence, and start the conversation despite only calling out his name.

Without removing her gaze from the view blurring past outside the window, the young woman murmured quietly, "Who are the white chrysanthemums for?" When the man didn't reply, she continued as softly as before. "Traditionally, white chrysanthemums are placed on the graves of lost loved ones." When she still received no answer, Sakura asked no more questions, knowing that the bouquets were for his parents' graves. Normally she would have been sympathetic, but since it was his parents that he lost, she couldn't really relate to that emotion. She had never known what it was like to be loved by the people who brought her into this world. The only kind of love she knew was from her little brother who was now deceased.

They finally arrived home when the sun, at last, settled beyond the horizon, blanketing the world with the light of the moon. The two sat in the darkness of the garage for a bit as Sakura slowly grew anxious in the small space. Every fiber in her body was telling—screaming—at her that she needed to escape into the open air; but she felt that Itachi had something important to say to her. However, not being able to stand the claustrophobia any longer, Sakura opened the door to breathe a sigh of sweet relief when the cool air in the garage hit her face. The pitch blackness of the space scared her as she rushed over to the door of the house clumsily. After much fumbling, she finally got the key into the knob, throwing open the door once she got it unlocked. Without waiting for the Uchiha, the girl ran straight to the kitchen, looking for any sign of alcohol.

It was at that moment that Naruto came into the kitchen to make some ramen when he saw a panicking Sakura. Alarmed by her urgency, the yellow haired teen rushed over to help her, only to be pushed away. Stumbling backwards, Naruto asked worriedly, "Are you alright, Sakura-chan?" His baby blue eyes followed her fidgeting form as she searched from shelves to cabinets. "What are you looking for?"

Not even bothered to glance back at the Uzumaki, she hastily replied, "Alcohol—any alcohol, I don't care."

Unsurely, the blonde answered, "Um, there should be some in the freezer. Ah! Sakura-chan!"

As soon as he said that, Sakura quickly darted to the large metal refrigerator, and without looking at the bottle or asking permission, she twisted the cap off, and drank it straight out of the bottle. Feeling the large gulp of alcohol burning its way down her throat all the way to her stomach, the young woman could already feel the effects of the beverage on her. Already, her nerves were calming if only a little and all of her emotions of sadness and agony were being washed away by the feeling of ease. Her hands were not shaking as much now either. Taking another big gulp, the teen let out a satisfied sigh, bowing her head and closing her eyes. She really needed it all day. Today was a long day and it's also been a while since she had any alcohol in her system to drown out any emotions she felt.

Naruto, on the other hand, was still stuck frozen in his spot, astonished at the girl's alcohol abuse. _'And I thought Tsunade-baachan was bad! This girl's my age and drank it like it was nothing!' _he thought nervously, as the rosette took another swig from the bottle. Looking at the direction she came from, the fourteen year old saw Itachi by the garage door entrance with numerous bags looped in his hands. Without thinking, Naruto went over to assist his adoptive big brother—thankful he was not shoved away this time.

While still keeping one eye on his new roommate slash teammate, Naruto warily spoke in a whispering tone, making sure Sakura didn't hear, to Itachi. "Itachi-niichan…?" Eyes widened further when he witnessed her downing the entire bottle.

"Hmmm? What is it, Naruto-kun?" Itachi questioned distractedly, trying to sort through the bags.

"A-ano, well…she just downed your whole bottle of _Shochu_ in less than ten minutes," came his straight forward answer.

Snapping his head up at the remark, black eyes pointed at the figure slouched over the counter of the island. "Sakura-chan?" he called out of concern, while he went over to her hurriedly. Taking the bottle away, Itachi tilted the girl's face up to exam her with a look of disapproval. "What did I tell you? You really need to stop drinking your problems away."

Slapping his hands away from her face half-heartedly, Sakura straightened up while pulling at the high collar. "I'm fine," she assured grumpily. "I won't get drunk off of one bottle."

Itachi sighed at her behavior. "The fact that you just told me you don't get drunk off of one bottle worries me. Just how much do you drink a day?" he inquired carefully with a lifted brow.

Shrugging uncaringly as she thought about it, Sakura finally said, "One shot in the morning to calm my nerves; a bottle of hard liquor before an extermination; and ten at night to ignore the disturbances of the night."

Both men widened their eyes at the answer, only expecting the number to be low. Naruto chuckled wryly before asking her, "Is this every day? Or just whenever you feel like it?"

Sakura frowned, not liking their judging eyes. "Every day."

As Naruto choked on saliva, the man patted his back while looking at Sakura worriedly. "Sakura-chan, that's a bit excessive, don't you think?"

"If it helps me get through the day, I'll be fine."

Curious, the blonde wheezed out, "So…at what number do you get drunk?"

Having not been completely drunk before—except for that one time in Ame, Sakura had to think about when she would get tipsy. It would have to depend on the drink, she figured. At a bottle of straight liquor, she was fine. Even with the amount she drank a day, she was only tipsy by the end of the night to be able to sleep, not drunk—not that she would try to get that wasted. Looking back at the pair, she responded bluntly, "I'd say about a barrel?"

Sweat dropping at her estimate, the two of them figured she was on par with the Godaime when it came to drinking. Itachi let out another exhale. "Still, remember what I told you," he reminded, knowing full well that she did. "It won't help if you don't talk about it to someone."

Naruto looked confusedly at the sudden tense atmosphere between the two, wondering inquiringly what Itachi was referring to. But he got the feeling that if he butted in again, he'd get the death glare from the pink haired spiritualist. Though in the back of his mind, Naruto thought that Sakura was really starting to be a part of the family now that she's getting lectured by Itachi. Because no one was really a part of the family yet until Itachi made fun of them and lectured them.

"Just think about what I said, alright?" Itachi reminded again before sending her off to her room. But before she could get the first step out of the kitchen with her shopping bags in hand, the man added, "When you're done putting your clothes away, come back down here."

At the instructions, Sakura turned to look at him with a confused frown.

Catching this, Itachi waved his hand offhandedly at her. "Just do it."

When the girl left with the frown stuck on her face and suspicion on her mind, the Uzumaki turned to stare at the Uchiha Head who heaved a loud sigh. "What the hell was that all about?" he demanded rudely, not minding his manners. "I've never seen anyone drink a whole bottle of liquor in ten minutes before."

"Sakura-chan has claustrophobia and agoraphobia," he informed while pouring himself a glass of water. Once the refreshing water slid down his throat, Itachi redirected his eyes back at Naruto whose eyes were squinted when he was thinking hard. Letting out a small chuckle, Itachi went over to ruffle the blonde's unkempt head. "It means she has a fear of enclosed spaces and large crowds."

"Really?" the boy asked, interested in his teammate. "Huh…I wonder why."

Itachi shrugged, not wanting to reveal the reasons for her unease. "Some people just do," he commented, and then remembered her reactions to the dark. "But it seems she might also have a fear of the darkness as well."

This definitely surprised the blonde as he twisted his head to look at Itachi with big blue eyes. "I never would've thought she would be afraid of the dark," Naruto admitted truthfully. "I mean, she's a spiritualist and all."

"Technically, she's a high priestess," Itachi corrected, with his finger straight up to emphasize his point.

"But everyone's been calling her the 'Haruno Spiritualist."

Itachi shook his head. "Yes, but with her powers, the ranking should be 'High Priestess."

The boy knitted his eyes brows. "What's the difference?"

The man went to lean back against the island as he thought about how to answer Naruto's inquiries while taking another sip from his drink. "Well, spiritualists are more like psychics or seers. They can only see into the spirit world and divine or convey what the spirits are saying," he explained as simply as he could, remembering that he was talking to the dumbest person on the planet. "Sakura-chan, as a high priestess, must know the proper techniques in exorcising and disposing a demon. She probably has to do the sacred cleansing in order to keep her powers pure. Not only that, but she must learn the _Kagura_ which is a dance performed to send the lost spirits of the dead to the other world. However, these are only the basics of being a priestess."

"Okay…" Naruto drawled out, trying to understand Sakura's job as a high priestess. "What are the duties of a high priestess, then? And can Sakura-chan be a seer, too?"

"Well, as far as we can tell, she is a seer since she's able to sense things we can't," he surmised with a finger on his chin. "Also, according to Kakashi-senpai, as Priestess of Hakurei, Sakura-chan has strong purifying abilities along with powerful spiritual barriers that are able to block any evil while protecting those within the barriers. The appearance of a strong barrier indicates that she is the heir of the clan," Itachi informed, glancing briefly at his little brother with an amused smirk. It was always fun to watch Naruto struggle to learn a new concept and always made it easy to tease the boy. "Her weapon of choice would be a blessed bow, making her a master archer. Though she might know how to wield a sword—I'm not sure."

At this point, Uzumaki Naruto was pulling his hair out from his scalp in frustration. "Okay, so she can purify bad things, has a powerful shield, can sense shit," he listed, counting it off on his fingers. "But how the hell does she shoot a bow without arrows?!" Naruto yelled loudly despite being scolded numerous times before on volume control. "You just said her weapon was a bow—where are the arrows!"

Itachi let his smirk widen at Naruto's distress as if he knew some sort of secret that he didn't—which made Naruto all the more annoyed. "Here's what makes her the High Priestess of Hakurei: she can manipulate her spiritual chakra into the shape of an arrow," he revealed conspiratorially and proudly like she was his own sister. "With one arrow, she can destroy a large vicinity of demons. She can also form barriers with the arrows she shoots off, too, trapping them."

Naruto was silenced. The information was processing at a rate with which his brain couldn't keep up with until it exploded. "That's…"

Itachi lifted an amused brow at the blonde. "That's?"

Blue eyes sparkled with excitement as his hands were gathered at his chest shaking wildly like a child. "That's so cool! And she's on our team! Woohoo!"

"What's so cool? And what's with all the commotion?"

Both heads whipped around to see Sasuke standing behind Sakura with a blank expression while the girl seemed to be seething at something…or someone. The two looked closer at the pair and saw that there was a minute angry blush on her face while Sasuke's eyes glinted in amusement. But seeing as the two said nothing, it only served to make Itachi and Naruto more curious. Luckily for Itachi, he had Naruto to thank for as the blonde had the tendency to just blurt out whatever came to mind.

"Why the fuck do you look like more of a jackass than usual?" the hyper teen asked crudely, glaring a stink eye at the boy he regarded as a brother before moving his eyes down at the shorter girl. "And what the hell did you do to make her look like she's going to kill you?"

Hearing the Uzumaki's description made Sasuke smirk wider and more evilly as he lightly pushed her aside with his shoulder. "Nothing interesting," the dark male said simply, standing next to his older brother.

With still a lifted brow, Itachi looked at Sakura expectantly. "Are you ready?"

She nodded, though even now a little bewildered as to where they were headed since they just got back and it was dark outside.

The oldest Uchiha went to the huge island where he placed the grocery bags and pulled out a pineapple which he gave to the unsuspecting blonde—who almost dropped the fruit with a 'Hey!' Ignoring him, Itachi then went through some of the cabinets and drawers until he retrieved a lighter and a tube of incense. When he handed his baby brother the items, the boy frowned unappreciatively. The last thing the man grabbed were the two bouquets of chrysanthemums he purchased earlier with Sakura at Yamanaka Flowers and gave one to the young woman with a soft smile.

Green eyes stared at the bouquet in her hands with puzzlement before looking up at Uchiha Itachi. "What's…" she murmured barely.

Continuing to smile, the Head Uchiha just stated, "You'll see." With that, he gestured for all three teenagers to follow him out of the house.

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_Communicating_

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_Along the streets of the Uchiha District, 6: 30 PM…_

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As the small group walked at a leisurely pace deeper into the silent district, Sasuke realized that they were headed towards the family cemetery near the Naka Shrine. The Uchiha District was placed near the Naka River as it ran alongside the compound and into the city. At the back of the District sat the shrine where a waterfall ran merging with the river. The waterfall in the back was used for ritual cleansing; but it hasn't been used in a long while since no one was around anymore. Because the river ran on the left side of the temple, the family cemetery was on the far right side, a little ways from the Naka Shrine to keep the place pure.

A frown creased his brows in contemplation considering his brother had yet to explain the reason why all four of them were out and about. However, he couldn't ponder more when his sharp eyes noticed the small movements of the girl before him. His frown was soon replaced with an interested countenance. It was so miniscule that he didn't notice it at first; but he could see the way she would move from side to side ever so lightly every so often as if she was trying to avoid hitting something. Not only that, but Sasuke caught how tense her shoulders really were. No longer being able to stand her anxiousness, the young man walked faster until he was beside her, looking ahead.

Once side by side with the pink haired blossom, he spoke with a low and deep tone. "What's wrong?"

Sakura quickly stiffened at the voice, too distracted by the spirits to sense his presence until he was next to her. She shook her head silently. She didn't want him to know that she could see the dead people of his clan roaming the earth still. The young woman figured he wouldn't be too happy to hear that.

Sasuke let out a quiet grunt. "You can see them, right?" Sakura jumped, thinking he knew about his people until he added, "The spirits and demons, I mean?"

The young priestess visibly relaxed, causing him to look at her funny. Then remembering what he asked, she could only nod in confirmation numbly.

"My mother could see them as well before she died," he admitted with little difficulty. He thought it was only logical to let her know that she wasn't the only one suffering. Sasuke could remember the times where his mother would collapse from exhaustion due to her sight. But every time he asked if there was anything he could do to help, his mother would only smile warmly at him, telling him that she was fine. Yet he knew she wasn't. Having sight of the spirit world always caused her to be bedridden and sick. It was something he always hated to see. He and his brother were fortunate enough to have not inherited her spiritual abilities, something she'd say many times when he was young. She never wanted them to suffer as she had. His mother said that this was due to the fact that they naturally repelled malevolent spirits—that it was in their blood. To this day, he never understood what she meant by that.

"Can—"

Before Sakura had the chance to get a word out, Itachi had already interrupted her. "Well, we're here, kids," he announced, his voice echoing loudly in the silent night.

The youngest brother looked up, the location confirming his suspicions. "Itachi," Sasuke called out, a bit angered. "Why are we here?"

Before answering, Itachi glanced at Sakura's face, noting her worried and disconcerted gaze, and then shifted back to his little brother. He knew the boy caught this, and was grateful he didn't question it. "We're here because we're a day late, but not only that." The Head Uchiha then strolled over to the wary Haruno while carefully placing his arm around her shoulders amicably. "I want to introduce Sakura-chan to our mother and father."

This shocked the brunette greatly. "What? Why?" Sasuke snarled at the idea. _'What the hell is he thinking? She's an outsider!'_

While Naruto was confused at the reason for Itachi's actions, he didn't mind introducing Sakura to the rest of the family. Though, he had a feeling he knew why Itachi was doing this. It had something to do with her ability to see. "I think it's a great idea," the boy cut in, disregarding Sasuke's glare on him. "Mikoto-bachan and Fugaku-jichan would love to know that there's finally a girl in the family."

Beside her, Sakura saw from the corner of her eye how difficult it was for Sasuke to let an outsider like her into his family.

The brunette tightened his hands around the items unknowingly until the top of the tube popped off. Now aware of his growing anger, he took a deep breath to calm his nerves until he spoke once more. "What's the point of introducing her? Our parents are dead. It doesn't matter!"

"Sasuke!" Itachi yelled, rarely raising his voice ever. However, he would not allow his little brother's behavior before their graves. "I won't have you disrespect our parents in front of others. They may be gone, but that doesn't mean we can go saying whatever we want. Is that clear?"

Unable to look at his brother in the eye, Sasuke glared at the cobblestone ground with a defeated grunt instead. "Hn."

Sakura, a bit nervous due to Itachi's lecturing, jumped slightly when he pushed her towards the gates. Though, she was more than apprehensive upon entering a cemetery, especially at night. As a ground rule, she would never ever go into a cemetery at night because that's where most of the spirits roamed besides at haunted houses and crossways. As soon as the four passed the threshold, her green eyes could already see the large amount of ghosts in the vicinity. Some were so old that they were still wearing the armor they died in all those years ago. Surprisingly however, none of the spirits had the grotesque decomposed bodies that she was so used to. These spirits actually looked human. But they didn't attack her. Neither did the other ones outside the gates. She just wanted to avoid them just in case; but when they came at her, Sakura saw them sending dirty looks at the Uchiha men.

Turning to look over her shoulder, she noticed the demons and spirits steering clear of the youngest Uchiha. Her pink brows rose high. All around her, the demons were moving away, as if afraid of the Uchiha. She knew some people were naturally repellent against the spirits, but how much of it was a coincidence that she was staying with the people who could possibly help her with her demon problems? It can't be just a coincidence, can it? Sure she fights things from beyond the human world; however that didn't mean she was a religious person—as ironic as that seems. She just believed in reasoning first before all else.

"Sakura-chan, we're here," Itachi informed the young woman softly, disrupting her inward pondering. She froze immediately at what she saw.

Her guardian had gestured to the two gravestones embedded in the grass below her; but that wasn't what caught her knowing eyes. Before her, standing translucently against the light of the moon, was a young couple who didn't seemed at all surprised that she could perceive them. Though, they looked young, she was pretty sure that they died in their forties. The woman had beautiful long black hair with matching eyes and a fair complexion. She had never seen a face that held such kindness before. The fifteen year old was just so used to the glares or looks of pity she always received. She certainly remembered not seeing that look on her own mother's face either. Her gaze shifted then to the man beside her. His face was stern with no emotions. He, too, had dark eyes; but they weren't as dark as hers. His skin was tanner and his hair a brown shade. The woman looked far younger than he did, she noted. Stress was lined in the wrinkles of his face, making him look a lot older than he really was. If she had to guess, Sakura figured he was, at least, in his mid forties when he died.

Sakura turned her wide-eyed look back at Itachi, realization hitting her like a ton of bricks. "That's—!" she barely got out. However, all the man did was nod at her. Her eyes quickly glimpsed at the ghostly former Uchiha Head before looking at him again. "Can you…?"

His head bowed down once, answering her unfinished question. "Just me, though," Itachi swiftly said, predicting her next inquiry.

Peeking over their shoulders, sea foam orbs noticed the impatient and confused gazes of the boys behind her. When Sasuke lifted a brow in question, she merely shook her head slowly before kneeling in front of the graves of Uchiha Fugaku and Mikoto. Usually, Sakura wouldn't have cared for those who passed on to the other world; but after seeing the people who brought the two Uchiha brothers in the world and taking in an orphaned Uzumaki Naruto, something told her that she should pay her respects.

As she placed the bouquet in the small hole in the ground, from her peripheral, Sakura saw Itachi gesturing for the boys to come over with a single nod of his head. While Naruto put the pineapple on the small plate he brought along with him, Sasuke took out four incense—one for each of them. Sakura observed all of this quietly and respectfully, knowing that this was a big deal for all of them. She watched somewhat drawn in as the youngest Uchiha lit up the sticks with the lighter all at once. The flames burned brightly with smoke slowly forming as the yellow burned away to reveal red ember. At the tip, the burned part turned to ashes, breaking off and falling onto the grass.

Then, silently, everyone prayed.

Honestly, Sakura didn't know what to pray for since she didn't know the deceased and what they were like in the past. However, she settled for praying what was on her mind.

_'Konbawa, Mikoto-san, Fugaku-san. My name is Haruno Sakura and I'll be living at your house with your sons for the time being until I can live on my own again; so please don't be alarmed—nothing will happen to them,' _the rosette introduced, wondering if they could hear what she was thinking. _'Even though I am reluctant, I am very grateful that they took me in despite all the trouble I gave them. I didn't know if I would be able to handle being alone any more until your youngest son found me.' _

Sakura opened her eyes to look at her right, seeing Sasuke with his eyes closed praying. Reclosing her eyes, she went back to telling her story.

_'Uchiha-san told me of your abilities to see, Mikoto-san. I wondered if you were in as much pain as I am now. How were you able to live on with all those demons trying to kill you? I'm doing it because I made a promise to my little brother. But I honestly don't know if I can keep it up. It's really hard to move on even though I know it's been two years now.' _

Her mind went back to that night. It was cold, considering it was summer. She remembered the chill she felt but ignored it. She remembered crying a lot that night, feeling numb at the lost. There was a lot of blood and screaming. And then there was nothing. It felt like she had blacked out until she woke up covered in the thick crimson liquid. Then she ran away with her little brother. The image of his body flashed through her mind as she tried to repress it, recalling why she was here in the first place. Her mind went back to the Uchiha matriarch asking her if her son could see.

_'I wonder, though…if Uchiha-san knows that you're still here in the world?' _Sakura asked curiously, feeling pity for him. His parents have always been by his side and he never knew. She, too, have always wondered sometimes if her little brother was still lingering around, but she never did see him. _'Would he be angry with you? Or sad? Was it hard back then to know that you'd be leaving three boys to fend for themselves? Was it hard since you would never be able to see them grow up? Did it make you sad that he couldn't see you?'_

Sakura stopped suddenly in the middle of her musings when she felt a soft brush of tenderness on the side of her face. For some reason, she expected the touch to be very cold; however, it was so warm and something else she didn't recognize.

_'…will it ever get easier?'_

The inquiry could have been taken in many ways. Like would it be easier for them to continue lingering as time passes? Or would it be easier knowing that Sasuke couldn't see them? Yet Sakura knew she was asking whether she living like this will ever become easier to deal with? Will the suffering stop? Will her heart stop breaking?

_"It's never going to be easy…" _came a soft melodic reply.

Listening to the whispering response, Sakura opened her eyes widely, showing all the emotional turmoil she was currently experiencing. The priestess was hardly surprised to find up close where Sasuke got all his looks from. He obviously resembled his mother more than his father. The woman looked breathtaking even beyond death. Her head lowered in disappointment at Uchiha Mikoto's answer.

_'So I won't ever be able to move on?' _Sakura thought despairingly. _'I'll always be sad?'_

The warmth enveloped her lightly around her slouched form. Tilting her head back up, sorrowful green eyes met compassionate obsidian ones. A bright smile covered the woman's face as she tightened the embrace. Not having the heart or energy to pull away, the rosette settled into her arms, closing her eyes in content.

_"As long as you have people who love you around you, the burdens of being a priestess, of death, will not wear you down," _Mikoto told her kindly, stroking her hair. _"I promise you."_

Eyes grew big at the promise that so easily broke her heart as lips thinned into a tight line to keep from letting out a whimper. Nodding her pink head, Sakura shut her eyes, wishing that the promise was real and that her own mother had been like this. _'So warm and loving…'_

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From where Itachi stood, he watched the entire scene between his mother and Haruno Sakura and smiled. He knew that this would've been a good thing to bring Sakura here and was glad everything turned out alright. May be she'll come here more often? _'Now just one more thing,' _he thought with finality.

After placing the incense into the small gold cup, feeling a light weight on her shoulder, the girl turned around curiously. Itachi was standing behind her with a gentle upward curve of his lips as he gestured for her to follow him. _'Again?' _ Lifting an eyebrow at the man's confusing actions, Sakura sighed before trailing after him wordlessly, leaving Naruto and Sasuke where they were. All the while they crossed the long length of the cemetery; Sakura couldn't help but notice the large amount of graves in the area. There were even tombstones that were dated back to a thousand years.

Throwing an incredulous glare at the man's head, Sakura thought, _'Just how old is this family?!' _ She was going to ask him about it until she found herself being pulled in by the Uchiha crest. Her eyes narrowed to small slits. The girl wanted to smack herself on the forehead for not realizing sooner. During her travels, she had taken shelter in an abandoned city and the crest was everywhere. It didn't occur to her then that it belonged to one of the most prestigious clans in the world.

"—kura? Sakura?"

The said girl was snapped out of her musings again at the sound of her name being called. She looked around their surroundings inquiringly. They were on the far side of the graveyard where there were very little tombstones. In the far back corner where Itachi stood was a large and ancient cherry tree. This made her realize something. She never noticed before until now, but there were many cherry blossom trees on the compound. So much so, that the compound looked like it was raining the pink petals. Seeing the Uchiha waving her over, Sakura went to where he stood warily, wondering why he brought her there.

As he gave her the bouquet of the white chrysanthemums and gestured her forward, Sakura threw him a confused glance. Moving her gaze to the tombstone by her feet, she still couldn't help but feel apprehensive. And then she saw it. It was the second time tonight that the young woman was at a loss of words. Unbeknownst to her, so caught up by the name etched elegantly in the marble stone, Sasuke and Naruto stood a couple of feet behind her, interested in what was happening.

Sensing that she was unable to speak, Itachi explained himself, "I saw the urn of ashes at your place when we first met, and figured that you still had it because you couldn't find the right place to bury him."

Sakura bit her bottom lip to keep crying while Sasuke and Naruto widened their eyes at their older brother before shifting back to the silent fifteen year old girl.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier," the man continued apologetically. His eyes softened, knowing how hard it was for her to think that the ashes were gone. "I hope that this is a nice place to bury your little brother, and hope that I didn't overstep the boundaries."

After processing his words, Sakura quickly shook her head stiffly while trying to keep her hands from shaking. But that was nearly impossible. Never in her life has anyone done anything this generous for her. It was true she had his ashes for a long time because she wanted to find the perfect place for her sibling's final resting. There was no way she could've left him in their old village where there were only bloodshed, hatred, and revenge that lingered.

Naruto stepped up beside her while placing a comforting hand on the girl's shoulder. "I'm sorry, Sakura-chan," the blonde started off, giving a brief squeeze. "Can I ask…how old?"

Sasuke was still standing behind them, quietly listening to their conversation. His mind wandered back to Naruto's words earlier that day. _'He said she looked like she regretted being alive,' _Sasuke remembered, glancing at her hunched back. _'Was it because of her brother?'_

"He was…" Sakura began, but took a deep breath until she started again. "My little brother was six when he…died."

_'So young,'_ Naruto noted sadly. When she said nothing else on the subject, the young man backed away giving her some privacy beside Itachi. When she went to sit down and shakily touch the smooth stone in disbelief, Itachi motioned for the two of them to leave. As cerulean eyes looked questioningly at the older man, he pointed to the other Uchiha. Naruto shifted his eyes to Sasuke, and immediately noticed the change in the boy. There was no longer any anger in his face. He didn't know what it was, but something was calmer about the boy. Nodding in understanding, Naruto slipped quietly away with Itachi, hoping Sasuke will actually talk to her.

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_0_

_0_

_Conveying_

_0_

_0_

_0_

Sasuke said nothing nor did he turn his head when he became aware of the fact that his brothers were trying to give him privacy. Secretly, he was grateful because they knew he wouldn't be able to say anything with them or any audience around. When there wasn't any more whispered cursing and barely concealed painful grunts—Naruto was bumping and tripping on his way out—Sasuke went back to staring at Sakura's shaking form. He suddenly grimaced at this. _'Is she crying?'_ He really hoped she wasn't crying. He was able to handle her anger, but if she was shedding tears, he wouldn't know what to do. There was just something about girls crying that made them so emotionally vulnerable to such a point that it made him uncomfortable and cringe.

Still clinging to the hope that the girl wasn't crying her heart out, he gathered up his courage and slowly took the last few steps to her, and tilted his head at an angle to see her face. Even though Sakura was sitting, the dark male almost let out a sigh of relief. No tears were streaming down her pale face thankfully, but he could tell she wanted to. Her hands were tightly clutching at the bouquet, the stems bending this way and that. Her eyes were still glued to the engraved tombstone in awe. Nonchalant onyx orbs glimpsed at the name etched in elegant script on the marble somberly.

The tombstone read:

_Haruno Hikaru_

_June 23 XXXX- June 21 XXXX_

_The most beloved child_

The date of death surprised him. It was the same night his clan was massacred. Every month since then on the 21st, he, Itachi, and Naruto would go and visit their parents' graves. But for two people to lose their loved ones on the same day was too much of a coincidence for him. Perhaps his brother saw this as well which would explain why he had the girl living with them.

Sasuke glanced at the girl cautiously. _'Maybe I should ask about it later tonight…' _he thought, and glimpsed at the name again.

_'Hikaru…?'_ Sasuke questioned almost doubtfully, but then he abruptly recalled that bright smile in the locket he continued to keep in his possession. Sighing, he sat down beside her while pulling the locket out. Earlier that day, he was going to give it back to her, but seeing as how she wouldn't see him, Sasuke decided to wait until she was ready before he returned the locket. He was a bit disappointed, though. To see those shining emerald eyes in the child in the picture, he was hoping he could see those similar jade eyes shine as well; however, they were only filled with sadness and sorrow. With his right knee propped up and his left leg folded beneath the other, Sasuke comfortably placed his elbow on the joint so he could lean his temple onto the closed hand. The way he sat made it so he could look at her blankly while waiting for her to avert her attention to him. While he waited for her to snap—for some reason, he found amusement in seeing her annoyed—Sasuke took this opportunity to examine her again. The blue shirt and white shorts she wore was actually his favorite outfit he wore when he was twelve. He had presumed that those would fit her better than what Ino had gotten her. At this, Sasuke inwardly shook his head in mirth, remembering what happened earlier.

…

…

…

_Flashback…_

…

…

…

_ When Sasuke stepped from his room, he heard mutterings and grumbles from the room across his and was curious. Expertly walking silently due to his training, he crossed the small space between his door and hers—which she left open absentmindedly—and peeked into the room. From where he stood, Sasuke saw on the left side of the large room was her four poster bed—courtesy of Itachi—in the center of the wall with a rectangular window on each side, letting in more light. On the right of the bed was a desk she could use for studying while on the left was her nightstand. Before him was her window seat which had piles of blankets on it, allowing him to assume that she sat there most of the time when she was awake. Then on the east side of the room was another door that led to her walk-in closet. Beside the door was a large dark cherry wood dresser. The top of the dresser was scattered with simple essentials like a mirror and a hairbrush. _

_ The sounds of rustling caught his attention as Sasuke crossed the threshold. From the open door of the walk-in closet, he saw clothes being sorted and tossed by the pink haired girl as she continued her mutterings, not aware of his presence. It wasn't until he was leaning against the frame of the door that she finally noticed him. And when she did, he gave her a cocky smirk, glancing at the clothes._

_ "What, don't like the clothes Ino gave you?" he questioned sarcastically._

_ Sakura rolled her eyes as she carried on her work. "If you must know, I don't like to dress so provocatively," she informed him with irritation, shocking him because it was the first time she spoke to him. "Seriously, who dresses like this?" she inquired incredulously, lifting up a tiny ruffled mini skirt that barely covered her buttocks. Sakura shook her head once again before tossing it into the large pile outside the door by Sasuke's feet._

_ Looking at the article of clothing beside him, Sasuke couldn't help but agree that the tiny item was pushing it a bit. The girl might as well just wear only her undergarments instead of trying to pretend to cover up. He inwardly chuckled. "Is that why Nii-san made me give you some of my clothes?"_

_ The girl froze at his inquiry whether from embarrassment or aggravation he wasn't sure. Though, to him, the way she acted made him believe that she would never be intimate with anyone—not entirely anyways. However, with girls like her—the ones who seem to have psychological issues—he could never be too sure._

_ After a moment, Sakura snorted haughtily. While pulling out her new clothes from the shopping bags, she said arrogantly, "I can assure you, Uchiha-san, that that is not the case." The Uchiha rolled his eyes, not affected by her words. Then she stopped in the middle of her inspection to look at him directly, the sincerity in her eyes surprising him. "I'm sorry for ignoring you. I'm just not used to this yet."_

_ Unable to say anything else, Sasuke merely grunt an 'Hn.'_

_ After that, he just stood there watching her go through the clothes she wanted and the ones that were far too much for her taste. All the while, Sasuke tried to keep the smirk off his face as she kept on grumbling about how inappropriate some of the clothes were. Through her sorting, as she pulled out a cropped black leather jacket, something fell out of the bag that caught his interest immediately. Smirking outwardly at his discovery, he bent down to pick up the lacey navy blue material._

_ "I guess Ino's not the only one who wears provocative clothing," he commented lightly, catching her attention._

_ "What the hell are you—!" The young woman turned red in the face as she stared at her hipsters being swung back and forth in front of her on Sasuke's finger. And seeing the smug look on his face irked her like no other as she snatched the underwear from him in mortification. While she hastily stuff the lingerie back into the bag, the brunette let out a deep chuckle, enjoying her humiliation. "Get out, baka!"_

_ "Yes, yes," he replied half-heartedly._

…

…

…

_End Flashback_

…

…

…

Sasuke inwardly shook his head again at her amusing behavior. He looked at her again, secretly thinking she did look cute in his clothes. But after noticing the way she would constantly shrug the shirt up so the collar wouldn't expose her shoulder, his finely shaped eyebrows wrinkled in scrutiny. From where he could see her shoulders, his sharp eyes saw how much of her collarbone stuck out. The young man's gaze narrowed thinner. He already knew that she was petite, but she didn't eat anything for a while after all, and the effects were settling in. Not only was the girl thin, but since she was in the room across from his, the Uchiha knew she wasn't sleeping at night. He made no mention of it to his brother, knowing how much he would fret over her like a little child—he had firsthand experience of this—however, he wished he had done so. She looked sickly and stressed. If this keeps going, she wasn't going to have enough strength for her special Chuunin exam.

Beside him, Sasuke could sense her slowly getting angrier with his presence and quickly lifted up the silver trinket in her face when she snapped at him. At first, she frowned in irritation at the object in his hand, and was about to slap his hand away until the light glinting off of the shiny surface caught her eyes. The Uchiha observed with satisfaction as her expression changed from anger to shock.

While watching for her reactions, the fourteen year old was contemplating something. _'Will you thank me for the locket? Or will you get angry at me again?'_

To his astonishment, as she let out a strangled gasp—bringing him back as she did so—the pink haired priestess did something he didn't expect her to. As her trembling hand hesitatingly took the dangling necklace from his hand, she allowed Sasuke to witness a side of her very few had seen before. Thin lines of shimmering tears shined their way down her cheeks, leaving a salty trail. No sounds were made from her except for the occasional sniffs. Attentively, he remained observing her as small fingers clicked open the locket to make sure the tiny heart-shaped picture was still in place. Sasuke was pretty positive that if it weren't for Itachi's gift to her earlier, the Haruno would not let him see her in this state. She seemed like the prideful type that wouldn't let people see her as weak.

For a while after that, the two sat side by side with no words exchanged between them in an oddly peaceful silence. The Uchiha was just passively staring at the clouds as it blocked the moon while the pink haired girl played with the locket absentmindedly. It was the first time since she arrived at the Uchiha Estate that the two of them weren't fighting—well more like him yelling and she ignoring. The peace between them was nice and not tense like it normally was.

"Suman," Sasuke said out of nowhere, taking Sakura's attention from the locket. He looked back at her to see her giving him a puzzled gaze. The young man sighed heavily as he ran his hand nervously through his hair, avoiding her green eyed gaze. "For not returning it to you sooner," Sasuke grumbled almost sulkily, and then added, "Though that was your fault for not talking to me." There was no way he was going to take full blame! She wouldn't open her door!

At his comments, Sakura had to bite her tongue lightly to not laugh out loud at his immaturity. Despite looking so serious, she was surprised he could even make a joke. The rosette assumed he was the type of person who was mature when people first meet him, but also had an immature side with people he's close with. She saw evidence of that when he and Naruto were visiting her at the hospital. The two appeared extremely close—so much so that Sasuke didn't have to pretend to be someone else.

The young woman shook her head at his apology and murmured to him her question, "How…?"

If the Uchiha was surprised at her speaking with him civilly, he hid it well. Acting as if he conversed with her before, Sasuke answered simply, "I found it in the mud at Yamakawa."

Accepting his answer, Sakura went back to fidgeting until Sasuke stood up. Her eyes went cross-eyed temporarily when a hand was shoved in her face. Leaning back a bit, she moved her head up to stare curiously at him. The boy's face was turned away from her scrutiny; however, Sakura could still make out the pout and a hint of a blush. Her orbs softened at the gesture and she gently grabbed his open hand as he hauled her to her feet easily. From there, Sasuke and Sakura walked quietly back home.

_0_

_0_

_0_

_Conversing_

_0_

_0_

_0_

_8:00 PM…_

_Uchiha Residence…_

…

…

…

Naruto was chilling in one of the stools at the island as he watched with boredom with no intention of helping as his older brother set the table with four rice bowls and four pairs of chopsticks instead of three. The Uzumaki changed his expression from uninterested to confusion. Did the man really think his little brother was successful in talking with the girl? They were talking about Sasuke here, after all. There was no way in Seven Hells he could convince the hot-tempered priestess to come down and eat dinner with them suddenly after a week of failures.

While the blonde was lost in his sea of thoughts, Itachi continued to set the table with the large pot of rice at the one end of the table where he normally sat along with a pot of nikujaga, a dish of cucumbers, a large plate of sautéed vegetables, and miso soup. As soon as he was done, the front door clicked open and a second later was shut silently. Though he looked calm and stoic on the outside, Itachi was actually excited to see the outcome between his brother and Sakura. On cue, as the pair stepped through the entrance together, he nearly dropped to his knees to thank the heavens that they didn't kill each other—otherwise, he would have a lot of explaining to do—and that the two are finally on talking terms—hopefully. Itachi was almost at his wit's end because his foolish little brother couldn't even talk to a girl properly. There were times—times where he had too much free time to think—that he wondered where he had gone wrong when he was raising the two boys. Sure as Naruto grew more hyper—albeit slowly maturing, and Sasuke became more insightful yet anal and grumpy; Itachi could've swore that his two boys were getting dumber and dumber as the days passed. They fought about everything! He just hoped that Sakura wouldn't be so bad. Maybe she could influence them some.

"Sakura-chan, Otoutou, welcome back," the jovial man greeted them with a smile—the smile actually making the younger sibling suspicious. Glancing at the shorter girl, he noticed the distance between them was small and came to the conclusion that having Sasuke around her was a good choice. Not only would he help her open up to people, but he can ward off the evil spirits and demons after her. "I trust your walk home was a pleasant one, Sakura-chan."

Her pink head snapped up quickly at the meaning behind the phrase. It wasn't a question, she realized, but a statement. Her mind flashed back to the walk and found that it _was _pleasant. Nothing bothered her at all. When she was with Itachi, she could still see the demons. However, with the youngest Uchiha, there were nothing but clear skies and the light of the moon. She glanced calculatedly at him, wondering if he knew how strong his warding abilities were or _if _he knew at all. Then something seemed to click in her mind. Sakura turned an open frown at the older Uchiha when realization dawned upon her. Did _he_ even know? Did he know of his little brother's abilities? Is that why he kept on insisting that she and Sasuke should get along? Because he can ward off the spirits for her?

As these questions flew through her mind at lightning speed, her body instinctively reacted as a hand waved in her face and her own reached out to catch it. Blinking at the sudden contact, mint green orbs looked up to see royal blue ones staring back curiously. When she realized how close the blonde was in her bubble, Sakura automatically drew back her other hand to land a punch on the boy's cheek.

Naruto landed roughly on his butt at Itachi's feet, hand on his face along with shock and confusion. "Itai!" he exclaimed loudly, rubbing the sore cheek tearfully. "What was that for?! I didn't do anything wrong!"

Sasuke clicked his tongue and rolled his eyes. "Idiot, you were invading her space," he muttered, making his way to the dinner table. He took his usual seat on the right side of Itachi's proclaimed chair, not wanting to be the one to scoop rice all the time. The hyper teen moaned again while Sasuke gave another eye roll. "Hurry it up, Dobe. I'm hungry."

Begrudgingly, Naruto went to his place on Itachi's left still grousing about his hurt face. "It's not my fault she was spacing out like that," came his childish comeback. "I thought there was something wrong with her again."

The youngest Uchiha raised a black eyebrow. "Again?"

At this point, Itachi sat down and decided to interject. "There's nothing wrong with Sakura-chan, boys," he sighed as if it was common for them to unintentionally insult someone. "Don't be rude." The oldest man stopped momentarily as soon as he saw that Sakura was still standing at the kitchen entry. "Sakura-chan, why are you still standing there? Come sit."

But she didn't. Couldn't. Sakura refuse to believe that the wish she made those days ago in her lonely apartment actually came true. It was just unreal. Things like that just doesn't happen in real life. It never usually does.

_**"Is it such a bad thing if it does?"**_ the voice she knew so well echoed in the back of her consciousness. _**"Let's just see how this goes for now…"**_

"Sakura-chan?" Itachi stood before her, eyes full of concern with his hand on her shoulder. "You okay?"

Being abruptly jerked from her inner conversation, Sakura decided to push this matter aside for now. Seeing his worried face, Sakura averted her gaze only to see Sasuke's and Naruto's face both filled with curiosity and wary as well. The young woman shook her head uneasily and let her guardian lead her to the only seat available at the table. Nervously, she sat with her head bowed, hair acting as a curtain, as she started fidgeting with her fingers. The scraping of the chair legs across the tiled floor brought her attention back up while Itachi sat at the opposite end of her with a smile and Sasuke on her left and Naruto on her right.

The long-haired Uchiha started serving one paddle full of rice into each rice bowl, asking Sasuke to pass one down to her. Once everyone had a bowl, Itachi said, "Alright, everyone! Dig in!"

"Itadakimasu!" the men chimed, save for Sakura who merely muttered hers.

"Woohoo!" the blonde hooted happily, his chopsticks already in the air attacking every morsel of food. "I'm starving!"

Sasuke's eye twitched at the blonde's lack of manners in gross irritation. "Would it kill you to eat with your mouth closed, usuratonkachi?" he growled menacingly, while flicking a stray grain of rice off his face—courtesy of Naruto. "You're getting food everywhere!"

Itachi, of course, said nothing as he ate—used to the banter that always occurred at the family dinners since he was a kid.

"Whatever, Teme"—Naruto quickly swallowed some cucumbers before downing his soup—"You just don't want me to eat all the food! Haha!"

"Tsk! I'm not a pig like you."

"Pssh! I bet I can eat more than you!"

"I'm not falling for that again."

"Ha! You're just scared I'll beat you again!"

This caught the youngest Uchiha's attention as he sent his death glare at the blonde. "Is that a challenge?" he inquired calmly, though he was boiling inside.

Naruto, not fazed by the boy's threat, simply said with a distinguished wave of his hand, "I do believe I just said I could eat _way_ more than you." When he was finished, he gave Sasuke his infamous cocky grin, irking the brunette purposely.

A vein popped from the dark haired male's temple at the jibe, shooting sparks across the table. "Don't make a threat you can't follow through with, Dobe," Sasuke warned with an air of confidence.

"Pssh! I'll bet that you'd puke before I do," Naruto added, sending Sasuke another mocking look.

Sasuke smirked, and said, "You're on!"

As the boys grabbed their chopsticks and attacked the food on the table, Sakura could only watch the competitive ruckus quietly. She watched as Itachi shook his head in disapproval at the boys' behavior, though there was still a hint of amusement on his face; Naruto guffawed boisterously while flinging food debris all over the place; and Sasuke glared childishly at the blonde, determined not to lose. Seeing how the men were acting around each other during dinnertime made her wonder if this was how these kinds of gatherings went. Growing up alone for most of her younger days, Sakura didn't know how to act during dinners since the only company she had was the silence and sometimes darkness. Sure, her baby brother was there during lunch times, but she always made sure he never came out to see her at night. It was already bad enough they attacked her; she didn't need them to hurt him, too. Thinking back, Sakura still felt guilty, but she was going to keep her promise no matter what. So pushing her insecurities aside, the young priestess took a small bite of rice while trying to hide the miniscule smile forming on her pink lips.

On the opposite end, Itachi softened his gaze when he noticed the smile. The change was so dramatic in his eyes that she looked more like her age instead of a girl forced to grow up, seeing things no one should see. Even though she was hiding it well, nothing could get past his sharp eyes. The man was glad, however, that she was comfortable enough with them to actually show that kind of expression. Nevertheless, he wanted to make sure.

So he perked up and asked innocently, "Is everything okay, Sakura-chan?" Itachi almost let out a small chuckle seeing her flinch at the sound of her name. "You haven't said anything since you sat. Does the food suit your taste?"

Sakura, on the other hand, wanted to throw the bowl at the Head Uchiha because, as soon as he addressed her in the middle of her musings, Sasuke and Naruto stopped their food competition to stare at her. Sinking into the cushion of her seat in embarrassment, the pink haired teen shoveled more rice into her mouth to avoid the question.

And then Naruto had to go and ask, "You're just eating the rice?" She gave him a deadpanned face, making him let out a sheepish grin. "We didn't eat all of it, but still—I know Itachi-niichan isn't that great of a cook—"

"Careful Naruto—remember who cooks your food," Itachi cautioned casually, but the threat was there as he gracefully drank his soup.

"Ehe…hehehe…" the boy chuckled nervously, dismissing Sasuke's smug smirk, and turned back to the Haruno. "But the food's pretty good…" Naruto paused to glimpse at the older man who gave an approving nod. Grinning, he continued, "So you shouldn't feel bad—you can eat whatever you want here."

"It…It's not that," Sakura grumbled, keeping her eyes on the individual white grains.

"What?" Naruto called. "Can't hear you."

Finely shaped pink eyebrows wrinkled together. Inhaling, she reiterated with slight annoyance, "I _said _it's not…like that…" Her strong sentence ended quietly and weakly as her eyes caught Sasuke's curious ones. Once he lifted a brow at her, she lowered her head deeper in her chest.

Naruto looked back at his friend who shrugged his shoulders uncaringly and resumed eating. But the blonde refused to eat until he figured out what was wrong. And that was when it hit him. He snapped his head so fast at Sakura, she was a little worried that he might've twisted his head clear off.

"It's because of Teme, right?" he assumed dramatically, throwing the said teen a pitiful gaze as Itachi finally let out that chuckle. "It's because he spent his whole life around us, but he's totally clueless when it comes to girls. It's sad really."

Across from the blonde, the youngest Uchiha growled menacingly at the insults thrown his way. "Dobe…"

But once again, Sasuke's threat failed to faze him and went ignored while the Uzumaki only rolled his eyes tiresomely. "What, it's true, you bastard," came the blunt reply. "You always act so constipated around chicks."

"At least I'm aware of them. I don't know how Hinata puts up with you," the Uchiha grumbled sulkily before moving his attention to the girl on his right. "So what's your deal? Don't like eating with other people?"

It was an honest question. He was just curious.

"Sasuke!" Itachi reprimanded and smacked him upside the head.

A hiss of pain escaped the younger sibling, hands clutching his head. "What the hell, Itachi?!" he demanded rudely.

"Huh!" Itachi groaned loudly. He looked at Sakura apologetically, easily ignoring Sasuke. "I'm sorry about Sasuke's rude behavior, Sakura-chan"—he darted his to younger brother disappointingly—"If we're making you uncomfortable—"

"I _told_ you," came her hard statement, causing Itachi to stop halfway in his apology. Now that all the focus was back on her again, Sakura wished she would've stayed quiet. Looking up from her bowl, the men were still staring at her and she inwardly sighed. Taking another deep breath, she repeated slowly to make it clear. "I told you that that wasn't it."

When she didn't clarify any further, Itachi wanted to smack his forehead. "Then can you please clarify what you mean," he requested politely. "The only way to get people to understand you, Sakura-chan, is to communicate, right?"

As soon as the words left his lips, the rosette threw a malicious glare at him, trying to damn him to hell with all her might. But, alas, he only gave her a smile. Groaning loudly, she hastily placed the half eaten bowl of rice and chopsticks onto the table, making the dishes and utensils clang together, nervously. The spiritualist was pretty sure her actions were confusing them at the moment, but she had never been so nervous in her entire life. Never before had she ever needed to explain how she was feeling in that moment. It felt strange and unpleasant to let others know what she was thinking.

"Sakura-chan?" the Head called again.

Feeling a large pressure building up from their undivided attention, the sudden urging from Itachi was enough to make her snap. "I don't know! Yes! I am uncomfortable, alright! What do you expect from a person like me, huh?! Do you expect me to just open up suddenly to a bunch of people I don't know—who, by the way, took in a stranger like me! Who does that?!" Sakura directed her glares at Itachi at this statement—all the questions and confusions bursting forth—before continuing, unable to stop. "How you want me to react when you people were kind enough to let me into your home? A stranger you know nothing about. I grew up with nothing and now—out of nowhere—I received such undeserved kindness. How am I supposed to even feel about that?" Her head shook to and fro in disbelief, reliving past recollections that were supposed to be long forgotten. "I mean, this is the first family dinner I've ever had since the only kind of dinners I've really had was in the dark." Sakura sighed, unable to look at them any longer. "I don't even know what to say or how to act. I was better off alone. There was nothing to worry about. It was just me and no one else."

When she was done, Sakura slumped over the table with her head in her hands, panting heavily from her outburst. She was spent. Her appetite was gone and at the moment all she felt was regret and anger. Though, none of it was directed at them. She was angry at herself. She had never meant to take it so far. She just wanted the interrogation to stop. There was almost an urge to let out a chuckle; however, she held her tongue. Before she met these people, she was so composed and calm; yet they seemed to just keep on pushing her buttons with everything thing they say, pushing her over the edge until she snapped. Already, the teen could feel her other self pushing through, taking advantage of her emotional vulnerability. Slowing her heavy pants to deep breaths, Sakura forced her inner self back down. She didn't really need another headache at this point in time.

Everyone was feeling the weight of her words, each of them relating in their own way, haunted by their own memories.

Naruto, without moving his eyes off his own bowl, spoke softly, making Sakura jump at the sound as she listened closely, "Before Mikoto-bachan took me in, dinners were really quiet when I was by myself." As the blonde inhaled deeply, his breath shook slightly from the sad remembrances. "The silence was always deafening though, hehe"—Sasuke and Itachi lowered their eyes at the comment, but Sakura clenched hers tightly shut, knowing full well what he meant –"There were times when the silence was so crushing that I wish someone would just come in to just say 'hi' to me—anything to stop the quiet."

The young woman lifted her head and her melancholic emerald eyes met his equally sorrowful blue ones. In that instant, Sakura realized that he experienced more than he let on.

Then the Uzumaki let out his signature beaming smile. "But then one day, just when I was going to give up on the notion of having a real family, Mikoto-bachan found me and asked me if I wanted to live with her and her family." Naruto stopped briefly, laughing as he recalled the certain memory.

As he did so, the Haruno took a glimpse at the Uchiha boys and saw the same content look on their faces as well.

"I was so surprised that anyone actually wanted me in their family. I mean, who would want a monster like me in their home," he chuckled bitterly. "But she did—she wanted me, the Kyuubi's Jinchuuriki, to join her family!" The boy then turned his expression of sadness to one of happiness as a blush met his cheeks. "It was the happiest day of my life! Dinners weren't so lonely anymore and the silence was just a background noise I hardly notice now." Naruto glanced at Sasuke for a second with a knowing look in his eyes. "It was also the same time I met the Teme here!"

Even though, the mood somehow seemed lighter, the guilt was settling in the bottom of her heart painfully as she said nothing.

Sasuke sat quietly, watching and observing the minute changes in the girl's countenance and inwardly sighed. Though, he could see that she was still feeling guilt, she wasn't willing to trust yet. _'I guess I'll just have to work harder then,'_ the young man thought with finality while a small smirk curved his lips. _'She is, after all, my mission.'_

Deciding to add in his two cents, Sasuke said monotonously, "If you're feeling guilty, then don't. We're not trying to do that." He watched as her eyes widen slightly at his words. "We're just trying to help you. If you don't understand something, then _I'll _help you." Black inquisitive eyes caught the surprise in her face. "I'm sure you're not as hopeless as the Dobe here."

"Hey!"

Ignoring the flustered blonde, Sasuke stated in a business-like fashion, "Technically, you're my responsibility"—he continued, paying no mind of the frown she sent him—"but since I don't like being a babysitter, think of me as your partner instead."

"Partner?" the girl questioned curiously.

The Uchiha boy nodded. "Since we're going to be on the same team and all once you get your license, you'll watch my back and I'll watch yours. Got it?"

She took the information carefully. _'If we're partners, I suppose that would make it easier for me to work. Plus, my movement won't be as restricted,' _she thought over carefully before giving Sasuke a confident nod.

Itachi looked around the table, satisfied that everything was finally resolved. Of course, it wasn't easy, but the desire results were well worth it. Sasuke and Sakura aren't fighting right now, and they may grow closer after this. Same with Naruto perhaps; she now knew she wasn't the only one who suffered from loneliness; and now she, at last, have the family she always wanted—or something close to it.

"Now that that's done, let's eat and we'll head to bed after this," he told them, picking up his chopsticks. Before he could get the potato in his mouth, however, Itachi was stopped when the girl murmured something softly. "What was that, Sakura-chan?"

"I'm sorry," she spoke louder.

Hearing her apology, Itachi merely waved it off. "Nothing to worry about," he told her casually. "We all have something that we're not comfortable with, but we learn to deal with it one way or another, right?"

Sakura bowed her head. "Hai…"

Itachi chuckled suddenly, catching the teens' attention. "At least, we've accomplished something here tonight."

Naruto looked at the man incredulously. "Like what? Making everyone feel awkward?"

"It obviously isn't that, you moron," Sasuke muttered, not caring for what his brother was talking about.

"Then what?"

Itachi turned his gaze from his adoptive little brother to the young pink haired girl from the opposite end of the table, causing the two fourteen year olds to stare at her again. Sakura squirmed from the gawking.

"We're finally having a family dinner with the final member of our family," the eldest man stated with a large brotherly smile.

Jade eyes grew large at the declaration and looked at her bowl. He was right. This definitely was her first dinner with them.

"Also," Itachi continued, making her brows furrow. "You're finally talking to us. After almost a month in Konoha City, you _are _talking to us. Now I can officially welcome you into the family, Sakura-chan! I hope you like it here."

Somehow, him saying it aloud, sounded official to her. She finally had a family. It felt nice as she felt the warmth spread throughout her chest.

Around the table, Sasuke gave a small smirk and an amused grunt while Naruto let out a good-natured chortle as the girl ultimately lowered her head to hide the tears that at long last spilled over the rim of her eyes. Even though all they heard were her sniffs and occasional hiccups, the boys knew that she was thankful and grateful.

They didn't need words for that.

* * *

Holy crap. I so hated writing this chapter. My hands were gonna fall off from writing longhand. Took freakin forever with midterms being a boob. Also I just got done cleaning the bathroom like an hour ago. My hands are sore! But I don't like this chapter for some reason. It just rankles me-urgh! Curse my long ass plots!

You guys are such boobs! Haha. I only needed **4 more reviews **to reach 90 but no, no. You don't like reviewing I get it. -cries in corner of woe- So for my EASTER present, I want reviews buwahahaha!

Anyways, happy Easter and whatever it is that people celebrate on this day (I'm Buddhist XD). Please be kind and review. And no flames.

Sincerely,

Hoozuki

And here just because it's Easter-congrats to those who knows what show this is from!

"We don't make zombies."

"Jesus rose from the dead after 3 days"

-deadpan look-

"Jesus is not a zombie. I shouldn't have to tell you that."


	11. Chapter XI: Midnight

_Chapter XI_

_By: Hoozuki_

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_Midnight_

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"_Exactly at __midnight__, __yesterday sighs away.__"—William Stafford_

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_Friday, April 23__rd_

_Shinobi Academy, 12: 30 PM…_

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"So~," Ino drawled in a sing-song like manner, leaning towards the apprehensive rosette playfully. "What's it like to live with the boys, Sakura-san?"

As he stood a little ways away, watching Sakura interact awkwardly with his friends from afar; he thought in retrospect, he should've seen this coming—this byproduct of accepting this mission. He's should've known that there was no way he could it in peace without some sort of rumor flying by. As soon as the three of them stepped foot into the double doors of the Academy, he should've known—should have foreseen—the trouble of having the priestess spend time with him and Naruto would cause.

His train of thought was abruptly cut off when a loud yelp rang through the air followed by the chorus of playful laughter. Black eyes retrained themselves on the wide stance and clenched fist that Sakura took on. Judging by her stiff pose and the Inuzuka sprawled out on the grass complaining about the pain in his cheek, the young man surmised that the mutt invaded her space by slinging an arm around her shoulders to which she retaliated with a powerful punch. He figured out that this was her signature response to invasion of privacy. His eyes darted to the cold hard glare her emerald eyes gleamed. Beneath that icy gaze, he felt something more sinister, yet vulnerable. That was why he insisted she stayed beside him at school for today, so he could keep an eye on her. I didn't want the same results as last night.

But like he was reminded once again due to the scene before him, Sasuke should have known that this mission would be anything but easy.

Finally, he released a tiresome sigh, wanting the day to be over.

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_Dead of Night_

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_Nine and a half hours earlier…_

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_He didn't know where he was. Cliff sides surrounded him as he stood still on the motionless water. Above him looked like what seemed to be a large stone bridge, standing strong despite the large gaping hole in the center. Somewhere near he could hear someone talking to him. This person was a male. That was all he was able to discern since he was preoccupied with something else at the moment. For some reason, his body ached all over like nothing he ever felt before. He felt like he was beaten like a rag doll ten times over as he tried to fight the urge to let go and pass out. But that wasn't what made him nervous and a little scared. What made him anxious was the fact that his eyesight was blurry and his hands covered in blood. Having blood trickle from his left eye was a strange sensation. It was almost similar to crying, but the liquid was thicker and heavier. Accompanying the sensation was the feeling of sheer burning pain. The left eye throbbed dully, but at the same time, sharply._

_ "Sasuke, no!'_

_ 'What the hell is he—' His thoughts were cut off when a wave of agony washed over him, radiating from his eyes. He paused momentarily to relieve it until he felt a chill in the back of his neck and spine. His body reacted instinctively. Alerted and alarmed by the sudden threat, he twisted his body around swiftly with graceful agility as he grasped his attacker by the throat. The sound of the gasp sounded very feminine, but he pushed it from his mind. Without missing a beat, his hand quickly took the poisoned kunai from his attacker, intending on finishing them off. _

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_ "Sasuke-kun!"_

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Sasuke bolted up from his bed, gasping and panting from the glaringly vivid dream. Perspiration coated his forehead in a light sheen while his heart beat wildly in his chest in an unsteady and rapid rhythm. Slightly disoriented, the young man hurriedly scanned his environs to make sure he was indeed in his room. Once the boy recognized the modern settings of his room, Sasuke visibly relaxed, bringing his stiff form into a slouch position. Though, his hands were still clutching the navy blue comforter in a death grip, unable to forget the image. Mostly, he couldn't get rid of the scream from his head.

_'It was so real!'_ he thought in devastation, squeezing his eyelids shut as if that could push the dream out. _'It was like—it was like I was there…'_ At that, Sasuke opened his right hand, staring at the open palm. There was a tingling impression like he was really gripping that person's neck. A girl, he now remembered. The throat felt small and fragile. He was pretty sure that it was the same girl he tried to kill that called out to him. But why was he trying to kill her in the first place? Although he wanted to know the answer to his inquiry, he was also afraid of it.

Shaking his head slowly as he exhaled a low sigh, Sasuke climbed from his bed and headed towards the door. After he closed his bedroom door, the fourteen year old noticed the light from underneath the door across from his. It was so bright compared to the darkness he was standing in. He could see the way the light would move whenever someone stood in front of it. Silently, he went to lean against the door, craning his ear to listen closely. As he did so, the floor beneath him popped a bit from the weight. Instantly, Sasuke froze, praying that the girl on the other side wouldn't notice his chakra despite him hiding it. When the movements paused before continuing, Sasuke let out a sigh and tried to listen again.

_ "Please…please…just stay inside…"_

Sasuke pulled back with a frown, not knowing what to make of this. But even so, he continued to eavesdrop.

_**"Why should I? These people are trying to separate us! Just like those priests—"**_

_"No! They're not like that! You saw…"_

The Uchiha pressed himself closer to catch the next words.

_"…they gave Hikaru a grave. No one's ever done that for us, so—"_

_**"Stop it! Don't fall into this illusion! It's always been you and me. I won't let them take you away from me…never…"**_

Black eyes narrowed, curious as to what was happening. It had just suddenly gotten quiet and he wasn't sure if she might've heard him or not. But what worried him was who she was talking to. On the other side, a low gasp broke through his thoughts.

_**"Remember, Sakura-chan…we'll always be together."**_

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And then…there was silence.

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The boy leaned back away from the wooden barrier with nothing but the silent ringing echoing in his ears. No sounds were made on the other side either. It was too eerily quiet for him, especially after what he had just heard. The conversation was a bit disturbing. It had sounded like she was having an argument with someone. Sasuke couldn't be too sure, though. He only knew that she was having trouble sleeping; since every night she came to live there, there was always the sounds of movement. He always thought it was simply because she was still trying to get used to the new environment. But, maybe it was something else entirely.

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_Creak!_

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Automatically, the Uchiha snapped his head to the right at the sound. Expecting someone to be there, he was baffled when nothing was present but the darkness. He glanced at the door almost unsurely before he went down the pitch black hallway to check. Stepping as softly as he could, Sasuke passed Naruto's door, stopping to listen only briefly. Not hearing anything else but the blonde's snores, Sasuke carried on down until he was at the staircase. He scanned the foyer for a second to see if anything was out of place. Everything seemed normal from where he stood. There wasn't anything suspicious, but he still couldn't shake that odd feeling of being watched.

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_Step…_

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Sasuke took a slow tread on the first rung of the staircase, now suddenly very, _very_ aware of something in the house

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_ Step…_

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His hands slid down the smooth, closed grain wood of the rail, keeping the light grip despite feeling the hairs on his neck stand up.

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_ Step…_

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The heels of his feet fell into place with the rest of the appendages at the base of the staircase while he stood in the center of the foyer. Part of the house had been modernized since the wood was being eaten through by termites and weather conditions. Before him was still the traditional sliding door, however, on the other side were the double doors for reinforcement. Each room still had their own sliding doors in place in spite of the major changes. The living room was on his right and the kitchen on his left. Faintly, he could hear the grandfather clock ticking away on the other side, the rhythmic noise sounding so loud and deafening in the middle of the night. Staring a bit at the paper squares of the doors, Sasuke suddenly felt silly. There was no way a spirit or anything malicious could get into the house. The charms his mother placed in different areas of the home were powerful. Shaking his head, the young man turned back around to head back to his bed.

Then, abruptly, he froze.

From the corner of his eye, he caught something strange. Walking up to the edge of the living room door, his fingers gingerly ran over a small portion that looked blackened and in the shape of long fingers. Glancing back over his shoulders, that feeling coming back to him, Sasuke took a breath and slid the barrier open.

What hit him first was the cold. It wasn't like a blast of cold wind, though. It felt like a passing breeze as if something was moving aside to let him in…or avoid him. Alertly, the Uchiha cross the threshold, almost wishing he had, at least, brought a kunai or two. He surveyed the area with scrutiny and caution, not dropping his guard.

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_Creak!_

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His eyes darted to the drawn back windows. In the blackness of the room, only the moon lit up the space, making it mostly disconcerting rather than comforting. It was because of times like these that he hated living in such a large house. Something about the way moon's light would play with the shadows always gave him goose bumps ever since he was a child. It wasn't natural. Subconsciously, he knew every shadow, every patch of darkness, was hiding something sinister. But he remembered Itachi saying that it was the things that hid in the daylight that were more frightening because they weren't afraid of hiding themselves amongst humans.

_"That's when they're the most dangerous, Otoutou, when we can't even tell the difference between us and them…"_

The Uchiha clicked his tongue in frustration, reprimanding himself for remembering that godforsaken memory. It wasn't one he was fond of and would want nothing more than to forget it.

"This is stupid!" he grumbled to himself before snapping around to head back up the stairs to sleep. Before he could set one foot on the first step, a light girlish giggle rang throughout the now ominous air. His body became frozen in painful awareness. An alarm sounded in his head at the danger, but his body had no intentions of moving. His eyes squinted in an effort to see who it was. However, all Sasuke could make out was a sitting hunched over silhouette. "Haruno…is that you?"

Instead of the response he wanted, Sasuke got another bone-chilling laugh.

He frowned, not amused whatsoever as he started back up the steps. "This isn't funny, Haruno," he told her warily. When he was five steps away from the silhouette, the Uchiha immediately stopped, the details now clearer. What he saw almost made him want to laugh in irony since he usually saw this type of appearance in movies.

Slowly rising to its feet in sluggish movement, the silhouette had long oily black hair draped over its face; while wearing what used to be a white dress but was now covered in dirt and mud. It wobbled its way to the boy while he backed away slowly, trying not to make any sudden movements. As Sasuke found himself once again on the first floor, the light from the moon filtering in from the nearby rooms brightened up the figure and he could see the grotesque details more clearly. What he thought was mud earlier was actually clumpy dried up blood on the front of the dress. The thing continued to shuffle its way over to the Uchiha while he gradually made the hand seals for his fire jutsu. Each step it took made the oily hair swish from side to side, allowing him a glimpse of its hideously deformed face. And he did not like what he saw. Where the eyes should have been were only dark pits with black liquid oozing from the sockets. The lights revealed the strange smile plastered on the white face as if it was carved there. The ghost let out another fit of giggles despite the oily fluid flowing from its sockets.

_"Am I ugly?"_ it asked innocently.

Sasuke inwardly cursed, ignoring the question and wondering how in the hell the rest of the house could still be sleeping while he was stuck with this creature. _'Dammit! What am I gonna do?!' _

The spirit abruptly straightened up, hair falling out of the way. The smile that looked so stiff now seemed to be wider and larger—too abnormal looking on a small face.

_"Am I ugly?"_ it repeated again.

But when the fourteen year old didn't answer again, the smile constricted into an ugly snarl, baring teeth not meant for humans. The spirit unexpectedly lunged for him, making him jump out of the way and land on the floor roughly. Sasuke tried to keep a clear head as the ghost dove for him once more; but it was hard to concentrate with the adrenaline pumping his panic. He scrambled away backwards towards the staircase, kicking at the apparition when it clawed at his feet. His spine hit the step painfully in the rush. Without stopping, Sasuke gave another hard kick before stumbling up the stairs. He didn't know if it was still following him or not, but he knew he just needed to get away.

_"Why won't you answer?!" _the spirit shrieked in anger, finally grabbing at his leg and causing him to trip.

"Gah!" Sasuke fell on his spine as the deformed corpse crawled over him, ready to sink its teeth in his jugular. Swiftly it dove for his throat, eyes filling more and more with tar.

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_ Drip!_

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Unexpectedly, the corpse stopped, the fangs inches from his flesh. The Uchiha watched from the corner of his eye as the thing rose slowly from its crouched position, intrigued by something at the top of the stairs. From where he was trapped, the brunette tilted his head up to see Sakura slouched over panting while clutching her right shoulder. With his eyes unconsciously in Sharingan mode, Sasuke saw that her right eye was bleeding as well as the arms she was supporting. The ruby red fluid slid down her shoulder, past her elbow, off the top of her finger, and stained the carpet with bright crimson droplets. Through his Sharingan, he saw that her chakra was very unstable and all over the place. The Haruno tightened the grip on her shoulder, drawing more blood as she did so, before lifting the bloody hand in front of her, taunting the spirit. The light from a nearby window slowly moved across the walls until it illuminated her face. The expression donning her pretty face was one that had chills running down his spine. The clear contrast of the bright red blood against the pale translucency of her flesh was overwhelming. However, it was no comparison to that deranged twisted grin on such an innocent face.

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_ Drip!_

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_ Drip-drip!_

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The ghost reacted by stepping over him as if in a trance, attracted by the scent of her blood. Once off of him, Sasuke quickly rolled onto his knees and dashed over to the rosette.

"Haruno," Sasuke called in a deep breathless tone, but she didn't seem to notice him. Instead, he watched her giggle like she was someone else at the sight of the corpse bending down to lick the red dots from the carpet hungrily. He felt disgust when he saw that it wanted more; yet it wouldn't approach them for some reason. Taking this chance as an opportunity, the shinobi took a firm grip on her thin wrist and pulled her with him. But she wouldn't budge. Snapping around impatiently, he growled, "Haruno, come on!"

The response he received was heavier panting. Sakura lifted her head and immediately he knew that it was definitely her this time. "Ni-nigete," she managed to let out before collapsing on the ground.

It was at that moment that the spirit attacked them. With supernatural speed, it tossed the Uchiha at the base of the steps as it rapidly lunged at the priestess, pinning her underneath. With no time to lose, the fangs sunk deep into her open wound, causing her to cry out loudly in anguish.

"Haruno!" simultaneously running up the stairs without thinking, Sasuke's hands blurrily formed the seals for his signature move. Blinded by his worry for her, he summoned his _Chidori_. Sounds of a thousand birds chirping filled the room as he sprinted to them. His hand then ran straight through the corpse's chest, its guts splattering the walls, rails, and carpet in black. It writhe wildly and frantically from the surprise attack until it let out a pathetic final wail and turned into a pile of ash, the malicious air gone with it. The house eventually reverted to its original state with brighter and cleaner air. If it weren't for the painful groans of the girl beneath him, however, Sasuke would've continued to stare in awe.

Bending down, he noticed the collar of the shirt was ripped apart to reveal the uneven wound. His obsidian eyes narrowed at the damage and guilt began to settle in. It seemed that the progression of the shouki sped up due to the poison injected by the spirit. Covering her exposed chest, Sasuke lifted Sakura's sweat and blood drenched head up and lighted tapped the side of her face to wake her. Yet all the young girl did was groan and breathe heavily.

Not only was he feeling guilty for her agony, but now he was feeling panic. Sakura was bleeding quite a bit and his brothers were nowhere to be found. _'What am I supposed to do?!' _Sasuke yelled inwardly and desperately. _'I need help!'_

_ "Hehe…you should really learn to keep calm, Bouya…She'll be fine…"_

Twisting around in alarm, Sasuke was surprised to see a woman sitting in midair with an umbrella in her hand. Suspicious of the intruder, he protectively held Sakura close to him and demanded, "Who the hell are you?"

The woman lifted a fine black brow at his rude behavior in light amusement. "You young people have no respect these days, do you?" came her response in a regal tone. As he continued to glare at her, the woman rolled her ice blue eyes. "Most people call me Ame-onna, but I find that name quite distasteful—sound like the ghost; so you can call me Ame-Warashi."

The fourteen year old boy nodded his head once in understanding. "Fine, _Ame-Warashi,_ who are you and what do you want?"

Still smiling, not minding his arrogant tone, the rain sprite answered curtly, "I'm the one who let that spirit in, and also—I supposed you can say—Sakura's guardian."

"Why the hell would you let that thing in if you're supposedly her guardian?!" shouted Sasuke in frustrated anger. "Where the fuck's my brother and Naruto?"

Again she waved Sasuke off like he was a fly. "Don't worry; they're safe," Ame-Warashi told in irritation.

"And Itachi just let you in?"

"Hmph! Your brother really had no say in me conducting this test," the sprite told him smugly, and then her gaze shifted knowingly to Sakura before looking back at Sasuke. "I needed to know if you could have protected her when I couldn't. However, I can see that I won't be needed any longer."

At her pleased tone, the Uchiha's Sharingan spun faster, showing his growing impatience. "Clearly, I did a shitty job," he sneered at the rain sprite. "Thanks to you, the shouki is spreading faster!"

After hearing his statement, Ame-Warashi floated towards them, pulling the collar of the shirt further down Sakura's chest. Instantaneously, her gaze narrowed thinly at the damage done before looking back at the Uchiha. "The only way for Sakura to recover from this poison is to have another priestess as strong as her to heal and purify this wound," the sprite informed as she placed a gentle hand on the girl's forehead. "Otherwise I'd only give her eight months to live."

Black eyes widen at the sudden news as his heart skipped a beat. "What did you say?!"

"As far as I'm concerned, a priestess with those capabilities died a few years ago," Ame-Warashi said carefully while casting a glance at the brunette to see if her words gave him any reaction.

There was none.

Instead, Sasuke stared at Sakura with a concerned gaze. "Isn't there anyone who can help her?"

"There may be one person," replied the sprite unsurely, although after seeing his determination so far, she was willing to bet on him. "This child may be able to help, but she still won't be enough. At best, she can slow it down—"

"That's fine; it'll give us time to find a cure for her," Sasuke interrupted, paying no mind to the slightly annoyed glare the sprite was giving him.

Ame-Warashi lifted a doubtful eyebrow, debating whether to trust his intentions or not for she knew of the things he did in the past. Sure, she was willing to bet on him now, but still. Even if it has been a while since then, it was hard to ignore that nagging feeling she always got around the younger Uchiha—years of witnessing his mistakes did that to her. However much she wanted to help Sakura, she wasn't allowed to interfere with their relationship as a promise to the girl.

As she turned away, Ame-Warashi parted him with a message:

_"You had better keep your promise this time, Uchiha Sasuke. She wouldn't want to be disappointed for a third time…"_

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_Small Hours_

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_12: 40 PM…_

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_ "—suke! Urgh…Teme!"_

The said bastard blinked his eyes back into reality with a look of confusion at first until his expression turned into a full out glare. Once the phrase registered in his brain, he moved his death stare on the one person who dared call him that, hoping that the blonde would shrivel underneath his gaze. But to no avail because Naruto was, in fact, immune to it since he was five.

Noticing that the glare was still in place, the Uzumaki let out a chuckle and gave a hearty smack on the Uchiha's back. "You were zoning out there," the hyper teen explained his concern. Quickly glancing around to see if the others are watching, Naruto leaned in and whispered, "Are you still worried about what that spirit said?"

At the mention of the rain sprite, Sasuke's onyx eyes automatically found the pink haired priestess.

_'I'd only give her eight months to live…at best you could slow it down…"_

"Ame-Warashi said Haruno would have eight months tops," Sasuke repeated the words from his head monotonously. "Until then, we have to find a way to save her."

Naruto said nothing for a moment as he also pointed his gaze at the Haruno who looked so out of place with her pink hair. "I think…she'll be fine, Sasuke," stated Naruto matter-of-factly. "Sakura-chan doesn't seem like the type to give up so easily."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "No, that's not it."

The blonde started for a second at his friend's statement as he redirected his wide-eyed gaze. "What?"

"I don't know. It was the way she was acting last night. I think she's hiding something."

"Like what?"

As Sasuke thought about it, Naruto could see the worry in his adoptive brother's expression. Casting a brief glance at the group away from them, the boy wondered what happened that got Sasuke so on edge.

"The way she fought…the way her eyes looked…"

"The way her eyes looked?" Naruto reiterated slowly as he tried to process everything being said.

The Uchiha tilted his head up, eyes closed, to soak in the sun as he recalled her countenance when he saw her by the river the first time they met. That insane smile, the redness of her irises, the paleness of her skin—but one thing stood out to him…

"There was a look of death in her…"

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_1: 00 PM…_

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"So, Sakura-chan, how are you liking the Academy?" the jubilant Jinchuuriki asked while walking backwards in front of Sakura and Sasuke with hands folded behind his head. "Did you like the rest of our group?"

Sakura tilted her head back a bit to think of the best answer in one word. "It's…nice."

Stopping abruptly at her one word answer, Naruto said disbelievingly, "Just nice? I'm pretty sure there's more than that." Then, he lifted a yellow brow suspiciously as he crossed his arms and nudged her with his shoulder. "Are you just being polite?"

"What?" This time it was Sakura's turn to be caught off guard. "I said it was nice."

"I'm sensing a 'but," came his quick counter.

Hesitatingly, mint green orbs did a side glance to the right and immediately saw that the Uchiha was staring back with a blank face, but she could plainly see the amusement dancing in his gaze. "The classes are great, but—!"

"Ha! I knew it!" the hyper teen exclaimed triumphantly before getting smack upside the head by Sasuke. "Itai…Teme—" Not a second later after his warning tone that Naruto stopped halfway when Sasuke gave him the "look." "I'm sorry, Sakura-chan, please go on."

Eyes widening slightly by his change in behavior, Sakura continued as requested, "_But_…the people here are, um, strange. Not strange in a bad way, but…I guess strange nonetheless."

The youngest Uchiha let out a held back chuckle at her assessment, astonishing both his teammates. When he saw this, he gave them the stink eye. "What, I can't laugh?"

Naruto decided to answer for the both of them. "Well, it's weird since you're always so straight faced."

"I'm not that stiff," the brunette answered offensively. "Besides, if it's weird for me, then it'd be weirder for Haruno to laugh."

Even though it was meant as a joke, Sakura realized that it would be strange if she started to laugh. Because the last time she heard that sound, it was when—_'No, don't think about it!' _Bowing her head a little lower so that the boys couldn't see, she spoke softly, "I suppose you're right; it would be strange to see me happy."

Quickly understanding the implications of his words, Sasuke hastily tried to correct the mistake, "That's not what I—" But he was stopped when she stared at him dead in the eye.

"No need to apologize, Uchiha-san, since it's true." Turning away, the priestess carried on towards their intended destination. "If you don't mind, I'd like to go to class now."

When she was several feet in front of them, Naruto instantly slapped Sasuke's spiky head, saying, "Look at what you did, baka!" before running to catch up to the rosette.

Sighing heavily at his slip-up, the brunette shoved his hands into his pockets sulkily and then trudged after the pair.

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Before they walked off into the separate locker rooms, Naruto waited until the brooding shinobi went on inside, and then ran over to stop Sakura. Grabbing her arm, he caught her attention as she turned around with a small frown.

"What?" she asked nonchalantly, causing the boy to wince at her cold shoulder.

"I just wanted to apologize," he informed her nervously. "It's not that we think that you can't become happy, but you never seem to be," Naruto reasoned with a sympathetic grimace. "You never smile, you don't talk to us, and you don't ever come out of your room or anything."

The young woman didn't say anything, knowing that everything he said was absolutely true. Still, that didn't mean that the words didn't sting. She thought they wouldn't notice her missing presence, but she suppose she was being naïve to even think that. Hearing the Jinchuuriki take a breath, Sakura snapped her head back up. As bright cerulean eyes stared deeply into hers, Sakura couldn't help but feel uncomfortable at the overall innocence of them. Her natural instinct was to avert away from such direct confrontation; but she got the sense that that would only hurt Naruto's feelings.

"Look, I just want to know if you're happy with us because I am," he told her with such strong sincerity that she had to turn away this time. "Anyways, I'll let you get changed." And with that, the blonde left her standing in the empty and quiet hallways to contemplate his words.

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"Ah! Sakura-san! I didn't know you had gym with us as well!" Ino greeted loudly over the loud chattering, halfway in changing her shirt. "Anko-sensei is in her office if you need some clothes!"

Sakura almost had a heart attack just now from the noisy greeting the other blonde threw at her. Though, she was still wary of her, the priestess was slowly getting use to Yamanaka Ino and her outgoingness. Remembering what Ino had just said about clothes, Sakura went past the rows of lockers until she found the office in the back. Knocking softly, she pushed the door open after she was granted access.

Sitting behind a desk munching on the three-colored odango, Anko looked from the manila folder she was reading from to see the pink haired teen standing stiffly in front of her. Putting the folder away in the drawer of the desk, the purple-haired woman leaned forward and flicked the bamboo stick at the rosette with no warning.

Automatically, the girl's hand flew up to catch the sharp wooden stick between her fore and middle fingers before it could stab her in the eye. Glaring at Anko, she growled out, "What the hell?"

"Hahaha! You really are good!" the older woman guffawed. "So you're the girl that Tsunade-sama was telling me about."

Green eyes thinned considerably. "And what did she tell you?"

Anko chuckled at the sharp tone directed at her. "Well, for one, that you're extremely distrustful of anyone—but mostly adults—not that I blame you for that. Some adults you should really be aware of," she said offhandedly, giving Sakura a smirk.

"Like you?" Sakura sneered, flicking the stick back.

With a shinobi's agility, the kunoichi easily caught it, letting out another hearty laugh. "Ahaha! No, I'm very trustworthy, but that's beside the point," she dismissed lightly, ignoring the rosette's glare. "In addition to you being obviously suspicious of me, Godaime Hokage told me of your condition, and about you going through the Chuunin Exams. However, because the Exams were just held in January, a special exam will be held for you."

A fine pink brow lifted in interest. "A special exam? How many parts are there?"

Sitting on the edge of the desk and grabbing another stick of odango, the kunoichi replied with a mouthful, "It'll be like the standard exam held in Konoha City with three parts: the written portion, a terrain challenge, and an arena. But, we're not going to have all the daimyos come from all over just to watch one girl, so they'll watch through a live feed."

"Naruhodo," the young priestess mumbled as she leaned against the wall with crossed arms. "What about this terrain challenge and arena?"

"Well usually, each city has its own terrain challenge—all of which are very deadly—we would normally have examinees there. However like I said, you're different," Anko answered, pulling out the folder from before out. "Says here that you're an expert at exorcisms, exterminations, and purification. Since we like our terrain to actually have challenges, we'd probably send you to some abandoned and uninhabitable country to test your abilities."

"Alright; what about the arena? Will I be fighting something?"

At her inquiry, Anko flipped through the pages to see if Tsunade wrote anything mentioning the third round. Finding nothing, she said, "The daimyos seem to still be deciding, I guess. Anyways, let me get you some clothes and we'll meet with the rest of the class."

After Anko handed Sakura her clothes, the young teen went out of the office to her assigned locker. Once the door slammed closed, Sakura suddenly felt alone as the silence closed in on her. The room was dim with only the fluorescent lights and the three small rectangular windows to brighten the space. Taking a long glimpse at the shadows to her left, Sakura absently remembered a phrase someone told her long ago,

_'Do not step into the shadows or dark places, Sakura-yo. That is where the gate between this world and the other opens. Always stay in the light—that is where you are the safest…'_

She felt those words from long ago saved her; but these days, one has to fear the light as well. Shaking her head at her pessimistic thoughts, Sakura checked around to make sure no one was around before she took off her shirt slowly, revealing a severely scarred back. Though she wore a bra, Sakura made sure to secure her breasts down with some extra self adhesive sports bandage. It was always annoying when she was working, and her breasts would hurt. As soon as she took off her pants, a small gasp nearby caught her attention, making her heart jump. Turning around fast, she pulled out a knife she had kept hidden in her bindings to defend herself. To her surprise, the person standing behind her was the shy girl with odd pearlescent eyes from her teammates' group of friends.

_'What was her name? Hyuu-Hyuuga Hinata!'_

"Ha-Haruno-san! Your back!" the Hyuuga stuttered with panic. "Are y-you okay?"

After hastily putting her gym clothes on, Sakura went over to the panicking girl to quiet her down. "Calm down, Hyuuga-san," she urged, grabbing her shoulders. "Please be quiet."

"But your back—I have to get Anko-sensei," Hinata said, not really paying any attention.

"Hyuuga-san!"

This effectively stopped the brunette from her mumblings.

Taking a deep breath to relax herself, Sakura looked at the Hyuuga heiress square in the eye. "Hyuuga-san, please don't tell anyone what you saw today especially Uzumaki-san and Uchiha-san," she requested quietly. "These are just old scars, nothing more."

"H-hai," the shy heiress relented with head bent down. "But what about the shouki on your neck? You could die if you don't get that treated."

Letting go of Hinata's shoulders after she was certain that the girl would keep her promise, Sakura wordlessly fixed her clothes which hung oddly on her thin body. When she was done, the fifteen year old turned back to give a hard cold stare, but not at her. It was something else she was glaring at, something distant and out of reach. "Don't worry. Until I set out to complete what I started, I won't die so easily."

"A-Ano, Haruno-san—" Hinata started, but was cut off as Sakura glanced over her shoulder.

"Remember, Hyuuga-san: don't tell anyone what happened here." With that, she left the Hyuuga heiress slowly following behind her and into the gym.

"Oi! Haruno! Hyuuga!" the older purple haired woman screamed. "Get yer asses over here!"

Eyes twitching at the obnoxiousness of the school and its instructors, Sakura purposely trudged even slower over to the rest of the class while Hinata hurried on ahead. Once she finally joined the large group of students—which made a vein pop from Anko's forehead—Anko cleared her throat to start.

"Alright, for today, we'll be doing muscle strength and endurance as well as agility and flexibility tests," she announced authoritatively, but swiftly smacked her clipboard on one of the groaning boys. "No complaining! I don't wanna hear it! If one of you actually died on a request or mission due to your being weak, slow, or inflexible, I'd be dancing on your graves for being the dumbasses that you are! Now move to the mats!"

"Hai…" everyone chorused together unenthusiastically and soon they all moved sluggishly to the matted areas.

Sakura was just about to move as well when a yank on her right arm pulled her away from the rest. She came face to face with a brown-eyed, violet hair girl who was around her age and her two cronies. Although, she paid no mind to the other two since it was clear that it was the boss who had a problem with her specifically. It was nothing she couldn't handle though. She had bullies at the school she went to in Ame, too, so it wasn't anything completely new. Well, except for the fact that they were all shinobi.

"Can I help you?" Sakura drawled out slowly as if she were stupid. And just to irk the bullies, she gave them an expression of pure boredom.

Of course, the girl reacted as Sakura had expected; and immediately the smirk disappeared from her face, replaced by aggravation. Angrily snatching her pink locks and yanking it roughly, she growled maliciously, "Listen here you! Stay away from Sasuke-kun. Just because his family took you in doesn't mean you're anything to him."

Blinking at the last statement, the girl lowered her head to let out a very low mocking chuckle before staring at the obnoxious brunette through her bangs. "Is _that_ what this is about?" Sakura asked curiously, slapping the offensive hand away. The other teen squeaked in shock when Sakura pushed her into the wall, hiding them in the shadows as she gripped her chin tightly.

Peering at her through the shadows of her bangs, the bully gulped nervously in trepidation as a red eye gleamed brightly at her. "W-who do you think y-you are?!" she demanded in a shivering voice.

Coral lips curved ever so slightly at the attempt to be brave. Tilting the brunette's head backwards to examine her features, Sakura inquired in a bored tone, "Namae wa?"

"W-Watanabe A-Ami.

"Hmmm…you seem like the type to bring others down," the rosette mused, moving Ami's chin this way and that until she leaned in too closely for the girl's liking. "Is that so you can feel better? So _Sasuke-kun_ would look at you?"

Tears started forming from the corner of the Watanabe's eyes when she noted the sadistic shine in those red eyes as the smile widened bigger and bigger. There seemed to be a drunken look in her gaze as she thought of ways to humiliate her. What happened to that awkward girl from this morning? The one who avoided everyone's curious observance of her? The person threatening her now looked so completely different.

And dangerous.

"I can help make him look your way. How does public humiliation sound?" Sakura giggled just thinking about the ways she could make this girl's life miserable.

"Haruno."

Snapping from her musings at the sound of her name, the said Haruno shot her crimson gaze at the person who interrupted her game. Behind her was the devil himself as he stood there stoically with a bored face and hands in his pockets.

"What are you doing?" Sasuke asked monotonously, but side glanced at Ami to see if anything bad happened. "Mitarashi wants you."

Seeing that the game was officially over, the rosette twisted back towards the shaking bully, bending much too closely as she did so. "Kiotsukero," she murmured before walking away towards the Uchiha.

Once by his side, Sasuke said, "Haruno, what were you doing back there?"

With the same ruby orbs that he didn't recognize and a grin he wasn't used to, the shorter girl answered, "I was just trying to make some friends—introducing myself to Watanabe-san, that's all. Is that so wrong?" Again, the innocent giggle came out. "Besides," she tilted her pink head up to look at him, "Didn't you say I was being creepy all by myself? So I said to myself, 'Why not? Let's be more outgoing!'"

Now alarmed by her sudden change in behavior, Sasuke activated his Sharingan and found that the chakra flowing through her body was now a different color. Instead of the normal blue, the chakra was a dark red, almost black. Grabbing her arm to stop her from going any further, he forced her to look at him.

"What the hell, Uchi—"

The last image she saw were swirling red eyes before she fell forward into his chest.

"Uchiha! What the hell is going on?!" Anko yelled from the other side, her voice carrying very well across the gym. She was waving her clipboard angrily from the dilemma. "What's with Haruno?!"

Securing Sakura in his arms, the Uchiha responded, "I'm going to bring her to the nurse's office. She's not feeling well." He hoped the lie he just said would help her understand what he was talking about as he gritted his teeth in frustration.

The woman seemed to take the hint when she released a groan, scratching the back of her head. "Fine, fine," mumbled the kunoichi grumpily. "But you're getting an absent for today!"

Nodding gratefully, Sasuke left the gym with the rest of the other students staring at his retreating back. As soon as he was beyond the doors, the boy made the required hand seals to transport himself and the unconscious Sakura to the hospital where he knew the Hokage would be. In less than a minute, the young teenagers were in the hospital foyer which wasn't so busy thankfully. Walking up to the front desk, the shinobi asked where the Hokage was currently at. Once he received the answer he desired, Sasuke transported them again; but this time to the Godaime's office. When he heard a choked gasp behind him, the youngest Uchiha snapped around quickly.

Shoving Sakura in Tsunade's face, he demanded, "Fix her."

Tsunade, on the other hand, was still trying to keep herself from choking on her sake that she was leisurely drink until the woman finally got a hold of herself. "What the hell, Uchiha?" Tsunade growled acidly. "Why are you popping in my office at this hour for? You're not supposed to be here until later!"

Ignoring her complaints, Sasuke informed her on the recent events. "She was acting strange, and you told me to 'pop in any time' when she does."

This got the Godaime's attention right away as she briskly walked around the table to take a look at Sakura. "She looks feverish." The blonde kunoichi moved her hazel eyes from the rosette to the boy. "What happened to her? Her chakra flow is fluctuating greatly."

"I honestly don't know. She's been like this since last night's fiasco."

Brown eyes grew bigger. "What the hell happened last night?"

It was then that Sasuke decided to catch Tsunade up to date, explaining everything from the time at the Uchiha cemetery to the ghost on the stairway to what occurred at the gym. When he was done describing every detail, Tsunade had him put the girl in the exam room next door. He was told to stay in the room in case Sakura woke up and went berserk again. As the world renowned healer slowly pulled up the rosette's gym shirt, Sasuke turned his eyes away with a light blush on his cheeks.

"The Rain Sprite said Sakura had up to eight months right?" she asked carefully, looking at Sasuke from beneath her lashes.

Sensing her tone, Sasuke looked back, obsidian eyes quickly going to the long jagged marks on the Haruno's shoulder and chest. "That's what she said, why?"

Biting her bottom lip in uncertainty, the blonde debated on whether to tell Sasuke or not. He was always quick to react and never listened to anyone. However, seeing as how worried he was over the girl, she figured she'd be in trouble if she didn't say anything. "Because the miasma has sped up at a much faster rate thanks to that spirit, I'd say she has less time than eight months."

Sasuke frowned at the news. "How much time?"

The Hokage took a deep breath. "Four months or less."

"What?!"

Frustration hung over the two of them like lead as they tried to come up with ways to help Sakura. Sasuke already informed Tsunade about the priestess thing. But according to the sprite, there wasn't anyone alive that was as strong as the Haruno. The blonde rubbed the temples of her head, massaging the headache away—at least trying to anyways.

"I can try to put a seal on it," Tsunade threw out as an option; however, she grimaced as she glanced down at the priestess. "But it won't work if Sakura's too busy concentrating all of her chakra on repressing her other half."

The boy stared at the older woman curiously. "Her other half?"

"The person you saw earlier wasn't her—she was born from Sakura's intense emotions that she keeps hidden—most of them are from hatred and anger and sadness," she clarified for him as she continued to rub her temples. "That's why she's closed off."

"What caused her to be like this?"

The woman shrugged. "That's why we need you to get close to you."

Sasuke looked at her skeptically. "What?"

"Sakura seems to be the only survivor of a village on the outskirts of Hi no Kuni and Oto," Tsunade stated, remembering the facts. "Ask your brother about it. He knows—" Just then, an idea so obvious popped into her head that she wanted to hit herself for not thinking of it earlier. "We could ask them!"

Confused by the sudden change in subject, Sasuke jumped back a bit. "What are you talking about?"

"Them! The Hyuuga! We could ask them!"

"What good would they do?" Sasuke sneered, rolling his eyes. "I don't think restraining her through mind torture would be a great idea."

Then her face fell, knowing he was right. "Then the Yamanaka clan—not only can they unlock secrets of the mind, but seal it as well."

Sasuke groaned in annoyance. "That's great and all, but aren't you forgetting something?" he asked exasperatedly, sliding his hand down his face when Tsunade gave him a blank stare. "She hates Yamanaka Ino because of the resemblance to her mother."

"Yes~, but if it would help her contain that darker half, I think she would go for it," Tsunade argued back, now pulling Sakura's shirt back down. Afterwards, she faced the Uchiha boy directly. "She's stronger than you think she is."

The mood suddenly changed upon her words. The young brunette placed a light hand on Sakura's forehead with an undecipherable expression, moving the stray locks out of the way so he could see her face. "Even though I've only spent so many days with her, I can see that she's suffering and only appears strong," he murmured knowingly. "Haruno suffers from her own demons like all of us."

Once the words were spoken, only silence followed. The only sounds were coming from beyond the door with nurses and other doctors talking about their patients or trivial gossip. The air was heavy and potent with memories that neither of them wanted to delve in for too long. Finally, Godaime Hokage breathed a low sigh, narrowing her eyes in tired defeat. "So what are we going to do?"

Not lifting his eyes to meet Tsunade's, Sasuke said, "I'll tell her tonight."

"Fine, but I hope it doesn't interfere with her concentration for the next few days."

"Why? What's going on?"

She smirked. "Team Kakashi and Mitarashi Anko will be escorting Haruno Sakura to Oni no Kuni for her Chuunin Exams tomorrow," came her answer with finality.

_0_

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_0_

_Bewitching Hours_

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_0_

_8:00 PM…_

_Uchiha Residence…_

_..._

_..._

_..._

_ Bam!_

_..._

_..._

_..._

Naruto heard the front door slam loudly just as he started for the kitchen when he saw his best friend carrying Sakura on his back. Surprise washed over him as he caught the passed out look on her sleeping face. Rushing over to the pair, the blonde helped Sasuke carry their bags while brunette carried the priestess to the living room and set her on the couch. Following Sasuke to the kitchen where Itachi was just finishing up dinner, Naruto continued to stare at Sasuke's back, trying to figure out why he was gone the whole day.

Eventually fed up with the staring, Sasuke turned around and snapped with an irritated scowl, "What, Dobe?"

"Where have you been?"

Taking a drink from the water bottle he grabbed from the fridge, he said, "Healing session with Tsunade—Haruno's pretty worn out from it"—he looked at his big brother—"so I don't think she'll be eating with us tonight." After their conversation earlier that day, as Tsunade predicted, Sakura freaked out and tried to beat them up before she realized where she was at. From then on, she sat uncomfortably bare backed in front of the Hokage while Sasuke was in the other room. The healing session took longer than expected because Sakura was fighting them for the first few hours.

The older Uchiha nodded in understanding. "Did Tsunade-sama say anything else?" Itachi asked curiously while setting up the table for three. "I heard you guys would be leaving early tomorrow morning to Oni no Kuni."

"EH?!"

Both Uchiha boys stared at the blonde like he was an idiot. Itachi shook his head. "I told you earlier, Naruto-kun," he reminded the boy with exasperation. "Really, don't you ever listen when someone's speaking to you?"

"Haha! Gomen, gomen," the Uzumaki apologized sheepishly while messing with Sasuke's spikes. "So where is that we're going?"

"For Haruno's Chuunin Exams," answered Sasuke in boredom, swatting Naruto's hand away from his head absently. "Apparently, with her unique abilities, they want to send her Oni no Kuni."

This news perked the curious boy's interest as he gawked wide-eyed at his friend. "What about her written exam then?"

Sasuke glanced thoughtfully at the ceiling for a moment before answering, not too sure himself. "Tsunade said Anko would give her a written exam; but since we're travelling by train, I don't know what she has planned."

"Oh! Since Sakura-chan can see spirits, maybe she'll have her get info from the ghosts on the train to see her information gathering skills like when we took ours!" Naruto yelled excitedly. Then he smugly said next, "I totally aced that part."

Itachi looked at Naruto skeptically. "From what I heard from Ibiki-san, you left the sheet blank."

Sasuke smirked, recalling the written part two years ago. "Yeah, he didn't even realize the purpose until later," he chimed in arrogantly. "How he became a Chuunin is beyond me."

After that the Uchiha brothers broke out in laughter while their adoptive brother sat there red-eared and fuming in embarrassment. They always did this. Laughing and making jokes for their own amusement and at his own expense. _'Jackasses!'_

0

Meanwhile as the boys were being laid back in the kitchen, Sakura was stirred awake by their loud ruckus from her nap. Puzzled, she looked around her surroundings and found herself in the dark living room with only the television to light up the room. Her eyes stared blankly at the screen for a while, no thoughts passing in her mind. Part of her day was lost and she knew why. It didn't take a genius to figure out that she lost control. Clicking her tongue in anger at herself, Sakura flicked her gaze from the television to the shadows on the ceiling made from the electronic screen. Her brows lifted in slight amazement at what she saw. The young woman never noticed until now but there were floral filigree carved into the ceiling, curving this way and that. It was then she realized how modern the house was despite its old Japanese appearance on the outside. Some parts of the house still even had the tatami mats as well.

Turning on her side, Sakura thought about Sasuke's words some more. Even though she didn't show it, she was somewhat happier than she used to be. It was just hard trying to show that she was.

_'Maybe I should show them how much I appreciate them?' _Sakura mused absently, staring at a certain shadow by the family portrait. _'Should I cook for them?' _

As suggestions continued to flow through her head, Sakura couldn't help but feel something weird about that shadow. Yes, the television was on, but somehow it looks like it was flickering like a flame. Her instincts were right. As soon as she thought that, the shadow popped from the wall and floated its way towards her. Cautiously, she sat up slowly to not alarm the specter just in case it decided to attack. And then something even stranger happened. The shadow was lightening in color and wiggling almost like it was having a seizure.

_'Ao?'_ came her bewildered thought as the shadow continued to shape-shift. And as it did, it slowly formed into an ever-changing small blue flame.

"It's you!" she exclaimed. "You're the fox that I helped in Ame." Then Sakura frowned. "What are you doing here?"

The little flame rushed into her face so abruptly that she backed away so fast she hit the heavy duty lamp beside the couch. "Itai," she gritted from the impact.

"I need you to save my brother! He got caught by some demons and got taken to Oni no Kuni!" the little flame begged, so much so that she could practically see the tears forming on the shapeless thing. "Please! You're the one they said to go to!"

At the mention of Oni no Kuni, her countenance immediately changed from shock to a scowl.

"No."

The flame flickered wildly in response to her answer. "What?! Why?! It's my little brother! You _have_ to help!"

Though her heart jumped at 'little brother' there was no way Sakura would go to Oni no Kuni. All the demons there hate her. There were some demons that she actually placed in that country as a sort of prison. A long time ago, a barrier was set up by her clan so the demons couldn't leave. Of course, there are some that finds a way. If she went there to help _one_ demon, she'd get devoured by them.

_**"Meh…you could always go there and take out your anger, you know," **_Inner Sakura chimed in offhandedly. _**"It would be nice for me to get out once in a while."**_

A glimpse of rage flashed through sea foam eyes very briefly at the comment. _'I think you've had enough fun for today. Just what were you going to do to that girl?!'_

Inner Sakura rolled her eyes and smiled lazily. _**"I wasn't going to do anything **_**that **_**bad,"**_ she reasoned. _**"Just scare her a little bit. I'm tired of people picking on you."**_

_'I can handle my own problems.'_

Irked, Inner Sakura grinded her teeth, but said nothing.

"Um, Sakura-sama?"

Remembering the disguise fox was still here, Sakura repeated her 'no' before stomping to the kitchen with the fox trailing behind her.

_0_

Ruffling the blondes spiky sun-kissed hair good-naturedly in a brotherly affection, Itachi said smiling, "Naruto-kun could be right, though. Information through clairvoyance is a very good method of gathering. You see some psychics and seers do it all the time."

Sasuke scoffed. "Yeah, but only if there was a bunch of dead people on the train we're going on," he pointed out like it was obvious.

Naruto shrugged, not affected by the pessimistic teen's comments. "Meh, you never know. Anko-sensei always finds a way, you—"

"ARGH! Urasai yo! I said I'm not going and that's final!"

All the men stopped their conversation only to stare in silent curiosity as the only female resident of their humble abode, wide awake from her sleep, marched in more lively than they have even seen her with flushed cheeks and a more expressive countenance. Compared to the usual calm and cool look they were accustomed to, Sakura was flailing about with a comically annoyed face like she was trying to fight herself. It was at that moment they saw a blue flame clinging to her waist and their eyes widened in shock. They watched her stomped all the way to the refrigerator and sirens rung in all three's heads. Worried she might get some alcohol to relieve her emotions; they were all certainly surprised to see her grab the ice tray. The young woman twisted the tray back and forth until the cubes were loosened before dumping them into a clean dish towel. After that she placed the handmade ice pack on the back of her head where she bumped it earlier.

Still not aware of their presence, Sakura continued to rant. "Look, there is no way in _hell_ I would go to Oni no Kuni," she growled defiantly, making the men jump in alarm.

Naruto leaned over to his older brother and asked very quietly—scared that Sakura might kill him if she heard—"Does she know that we're going there tomorrow?"

"From the looks of it," Itachi said, stopping to listen to the girl argue with the tiny fire before finishing, "I think not."

The Uzumaki made an 'Ugh' face before saying, "Well, she's just going to love this."

"—seriously, it's like asking the demons to eat me. No, I'm not going no matter how much you ask," Sakura told the fox regretfully with a saddened face. "I'm sorry." Once she was done, she finally noticed their presence; and from there she dropped her head tiredly. "How long?"

Itachi blinked once. "How long?" he repeated unsurely.

Facing them fully, Sakura clarified, "How long have you been standing there?"

"The whole time?" Naruto answered slowly.

An annoyed sigh escaped her coral lips. She said nothing, just still gripping her ice pack with a wince. It was clear she wasn't going to go any further than that despite the air of curiosity and interest in the air.

The Uzumaki frowned. "Are you seriously going to leave it like that?"

"There's nothing to say."

The little fire flickered again. "Nothing to say!"

At the same time, the pink haired spiritualist groaned in frustration. "Shut up," she whispered harshly. "Now is _not _the time for this."

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" was Naruto's response to the talking blue fire. "Did that thing just talk?!"

The rosette banged her head on the counter. The Uchiha brothers and the Uzumaki made their way over, surrounding her on all sides to examine the creature more closely. While Naruto and Itachi poked the flame, Sasuke stared at the ice pack on her head.

Noticing, Sakura only pouted slightly, burying her head further. "It's nothing, Uchiha-san," she mumbled embarrassed. "And for today…er…you know…"

Realizing that she was trying to thank him, Sasuke blushed a bit and simply nodded once to let her know he got it. Afterwards, he went over to join the study session. "What's with this fire?"

"No kidding," Naruto added from behind Sakura. "I never heard fire talk before."

Standing on her right, Itachi squinted, his Sharingan activated. "I know what this is," he said slightly breathless. "The fire is just a disguise."

The blonde, still on his tip-toes, glanced innocently at the man. "Really? What is it?"

Sakura breathe out another exhausted sigh and raised her right hand as if to present an item. "Boys, this is a _kitsune_," she announced dully.

"Huh?" Naruto and Sasuke blurted out stupidly.

The young woman held up the right hand, only the fore and middle fingers standing up to form the 'release seal,' effectively dispelling the flame. The blue fire disappeared in a poof, revealing a small red fox dressed in a tiny kimono. The boys' eyes popped out of their sockets in amazement, having never seen a kitsune before. It was such an odd sight to see a fox standing on its hind legs wearing human clothes.

"This child was the one I saved when I was in Ame," she stated monotonously. "And he was just about to _leave_."

"But—"

"No, I don't want to hear it."

The Kyuubi's Jinchuuriki lifted a blonde eyebrow in skepticism. "_This_ is a kitsune?" he inquired in disbelief, poking the baby demon's nose. In response, the yokai chomped on his finger. "ITAI!"

"That's what happens when you rudely poke someone's nose," Itachi admonished with no sympathy before moving his gaze to Sakura. "Now why are you upset, Sakura-chan?"

The said girl merely shook her head, waving the matter off. "It was nothing because there isn't anything to talk about," Sakura enunciated heavily, pushing her way out of the tight circle.

The yokai heard this and started up again. "But you have to help! You're the only one who can!" the fox pleaded again, attaching himself to her side once more.

Having had enough of the begging, the priestess took the fox and set him gently on the counter. Taking another deep inhale, green eyes stared directly at the innocent face. "Look…what's your name?"

"Arata," he answered glumly.

"Look, Arata, I'm sorry for your troubles and that you came all the way here only to be disappointed," Sakura apologized sincerely, "But I'm not going to the Demon Country. Is that understood? As far as I'm concerned, your brother is dead."

Arata gave her a hurt-filled gaze at her harsh words.

"Sakura-chan!" Itachi reprimanded. "You could've worded that differently."

At this, she snapped her fiery glare at him. "He has to hear this! My family has maintained that country for years! No one and I _mean_ no one gets out alive," she shouted, tired of hearing arguments. "How can you expect a kitsune—a child kitsune, at that—to survive in a land so savage? I'm not going to risk my life with so little chance that he'll still be alive. I'm sorry."

The air was suddenly too intense, too somber and hopeless at the finality of her words settled in. Sasuke, Naruto, Itachi all looked at the pink-haired fifteen year old questioningly, unsure if they should say anything to her or the little yokai. She apparently didn't want to say anything more on the matter as she went about her business in the kitchen, grabbing more ice for her head. Albeit they didn't want to tell her for they fear her anger, they really needed to tell her about her exam location. Deciding to break the ice, Naruto pushed Sasuke forward with the latter glaring incredulously at the former who gave him two thumbs up.

Coming up from behind the grumpy girl, Sasuke coughed awkwardly to clear his throat—and, of course, grab her attention. When Sakura said nothing, he coughed again.

Annoyed and still pissed off, Sakura twisted around and gave him the stink eye. "Did you need a cough drop, Uchiha-san or are you trying to piss me off more?" the teen grounded out menacingly.

The boy prepared himself for her fury for the news he was about to deliver by taking three deep breaths to calm himself. "For your exam location," Sasuke started slowly to make sure she understood, "You're going to…uh…"—the brunette glanced back at Itachi and Naruto for help which both denied—"How should I say this?"

His hesitance was starting to wear her thin with her left eye twitching violently. "Just…spit…it…out!"

Surprised at being cut off, Sasuke decided to do as she asked. "For your official Chuunin Exam, Haruno Sakura, you are required to go to the Demon Country with Team Kakashi and Mitarashi Anko as your escorts," he reported in a military manner, straight-faced and professional.

Sakura said nothing, too shocked to even say anything. _'Did they just say…?'_ Slowly and gradually, the shock slid off her pretty face to contort into an expression of pure rage. Quickly, her small hand made a grab for the Uchiha's shirt in a tight grip as she pushed his back painfully against the counter.

"Nandato?!"

Obsidian eyes winced at the contact, forgetting how strong the priestess really was. "I said—"

"I heard what you said, damn it! I'm not going to that country, you hear!"

"Sakura-chan, calm down," Itachi asked cautiously, trying to pull her back. "You don't want to hurt anyone, do you?"

Listening to what the man said, Sakura relented her hold on the younger Uchiha before storming from the kitchen and out of the house. The Uchiha head groaned exhaustedly.

"And there she goes again," Naruto pointed out dully.

"Sasuke go find her before she hurts herself," he ordered.

"What? Why should I?!"

He only gave his brother a deadpan stare. "Go."

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_Twelve o' Clock_

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_Three hours, fifty-three minutes, and thirteen seconds later…_

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_ "ARGH!"_

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Uchiha Sasuke screamed loudly in the middle of an empty training field in extreme rage and annoyance because of a certain pink haired priestess. He looked in the first places he thought she would be at like the hospital or visiting the graves, but nowhere. She is nowhere! Now he was wondering if she left the city limits or not. It wouldn't be unthinkable if she did, however. Shuffling his way to one of the wooden posts in the middle of the field, Sasuke rested his back against the center post.

_'Where are you, Haruno?' _he wondered hopelessly.

"Hello."

Out of nowhere, green eyes popped right in his face making him let out a yelp, almost head-butting the person as he jumped. Turning around hastily, Sasuke saw Sakura standing on the post he was leaning on, bent at a ninety degree angle over him.

"Haruno, where the hell were you?!" he shouted, angry that she made him look everywhere for her. "I've searched everywhere and you were here the whole time?!"

She nodded quietly in response, turning to point at the tree to his right. "I was sleeping in there when I heard you scream," she pointed out. Moving her attention back to him, an amused smirk that she was attempting to hide shown on her face. "I didn't know you could scream like that."

When she pointed out his unmanly scream, Sasuke averted her peering gaze with embarrassment. "Shut up," he mumbled. "Why were you sleeping here of all places?"

Jumping from her position on the post, Sakura turned to face the three posts with the river directly behind them. She shrugged her shoulders unsurely. "I don't know. Something called me here." She glanced at him from the corner of her eyes. "Are you still mad?"

Narrowing his eyes and pouting, Sasuke redirected her question back at her mockingly, "Are _you_ still mad?"

The young woman shook her head 'no.'

"Why don't you want to go to the Demon Country?"

The rosette sighed, shaking her head in disbelief. "Rather than trying to explain to you," she started quietly before boldly staring into his eyes. "I'll show you."

"Show me?"

"Yes. Will you close your eyes for a minute?"

Black brows furrowed. "Alright."

Inhaling and exhaling deeply, Sakura took his face into her hands gently.

"What are you—"

Stopping him from pulling, she said shakily, "Don't move—just keep your eyes closed." After making certain that Sasuke had his eyes clothes, the Haruno closed the small space between them by placing a sweet chaste kiss on his lips.

Snapping his eyes open upon the contact, Sasuke was beyond shocked that the girl who had such trust issues would just kiss him so easily. Before he could yank away, the young man felt the tingling of her chakra flowing through him. Just as quickly Sakura placed the kiss, she pulled away after a few seconds of contact.

Sasuke could only stare at her, extremely confused at her actions and by the sensations he felt. Her lips were soft and gentle as if she was afraid he would break or run off. "Why…did you do that?" Sasuke finally asked.

A frown appeared on her face. "To show you."

He looked at her dumbly for a moment until he realized that was why she transferred a bit of her chakra to him. Catching her gesture to the river beyond the posts, Sasuke glanced over and was stunned. Never in his life had he seen such a large amount of demons. There were so many: big, small, fat, skinny—but they all had one similar characteristic and that was their horribly grotesque forms.

_"Cross the river, Priestess…"_

_ "Let us eat you!"_

_ "What about that boy with her!"_

_ "Yes, he looks good as well. _

_ "Eat their hearts! Their eyes! And we'll live!"_

He was horrified by the things he heard. He didn't know demons could be so greedy and gluttonous. And Sakura saw this every day. She heard this every day. She suffered from this every day.

Sensing his understanding, Sakura opened her mouth to say, "My clan, the Hakurei Clan, have been known for centuries for having very strong spiritual abilities. Because of that, we're hunted constantly as we hunt them." Sakura looked at him, knowing the effects of her chakra were wearing off. "Since you have been with me, I haven't been seeing them as much. For the first time, I could actually see the sun, the sky, the moon without them being blocked by the demons or their miasma."

"I understand that and I'm glad that I could be of some help to you, but," Sasuke told her, happy to hear her actually talk to him, not yell. "I can only help you if you let me in."

Seeing that he was serious and wasn't going to give up easily, Sakura sighed. "The reason why I don't want to go to Oni no Kuni is because most of the demons residing there have a grudge against our family. Not only can we kill them, at the same time, we can make them stronger," she explained carefully so he could understand her world better. Sakura turned to him. "Anyone with strong spiritual abilities is always going to be a target for them like me and you."

"Me?"

"Yes, since I can't see them right now, I'd say your warding abilities are something to be feared."

Sasuke nodded, but he felt that there was more to it than that. "Are you telling me everything?" he asked warily.

"Of course," she answered almost offended.

Clearly she wasn't going to say more on the matter, but at least she was opening up to him. "Fine, fine. But for the exam, you still have to go if you want to attend the Academy."

"I'll go."

This caught him off guard since she was adamant the whole way. "What?"

Sakura ran a hand through her hair embarrassingly. "Well, I can't exactly let that child die right?" the rosette asked rhetorically, but he could that she was thinking about her own past experiences, too. Being alive at the death of a younger sibling was always hard thing to live for. "I can't let Arata feel the same things I feel every day. It would kill him."

The Uchiha let out a small chuckle, finally thinking that he was able to get a feel for the girl. "You know there's a saying that always gets me through the days: _"Exactly at midnight, yesterday sighs away,"_ Sasuke recited, briefly glancing her way. "Do you understand what that means?"

She shook her head.

"It means that by the end of the day, everything is in the past: sadness, hatred, sorrow, happiness, excitement—everything," he explained. "What happened in the past stays in the past, but that does not mean we forget them. We just have to let it pass us by as it should and move on to tomorrow. Get it now?"

The young priestess looked from him to the clear night skies dotted with millions of twinkling stars. "I…think so," came her quiet murmur. "I feel like I'm moving forward now," her green eyes concentrated on his, "starting with living with you and your family. Ever since coming here, I feel like I was supposed to meet you and Uzumaki-san and Itachi-san and everyone else. I was drawn to Konoha City by something. I just don't know what."

The boy let out another chuckle at her assessment before ruffling her hair. "Well, don't think too much on it. You'll hurt yourself," Sasuke teased her playfully. "Now let's go home. We have to get ready for tomorrow." With that, Sasuke turned to leave, starting on the road home.

Abruptly feeling a strange panic, Sakura reached out to pull on his sleeve, successfully making him look at her questioningly. "Home?"

"Yeah." Seeing her distress expression, he placed a hand on her shoulder. "You okay?"

When she said nothing, Sasuke pulled her to him, giving her a light hug while rubbing her arms. Even though he felt her stiffen up, he still didn't let go. "Look, you're not in Ame anymore, alright? Or wherever you were before. You have that baka Naruto and my idiot brother Itachi, okay?"

Sakura listened to him closely and she waited for him to continue.

"And…"

She held her breath.

"You have me, too. You're not alone anymore, Sakura."

Her stiff body unconsciously relaxed at his reassurance, allowing his warm to engulf her before falling into the peaceful dark bliss. Feeling her full weight on him, Sasuke said nothing as he hefted her into his arms once more like he did many times before.

"Let's go home," the boy whispered solemnly to no one.

* * *

Holy crap! It's been almost two months! Haha! I had actually thought it'd be funny to wait 7 more days to make it exactly two months but that's too mean! On paper, I wrote 44 pages, on print 34 pages. My fingers are gonna fall off.

Anyways, school's done and now I can write even more! Thanks for being patient and hanging in there!

Japanese Lessons!

Naruhodo - I see

Ao - blue

Kiotsukero - be careful (male - I kinda wanted Inner to be a little more tomboyish)

Alright, as usual, can I have AT LEAST TEN REVIEWS? Just TEN WOULD MAKE ME HAPPY AND UPDATE FASTER! BUWAHAHA! Either way, please be kind and review. Thanks!

Sincerely,

Hoozuki

Word Count: 12, 408 Words


	12. Chapter XII: Oni no Kuni

_Chapter XII _

_By: Hoozuki_

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_Oni no Kuni_

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"_I more fear what is within me than what comes from without…"-Martin Luther  
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_Tuesday, April 27__th_

_4: 17 PM…_

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The sky was clear of clouds, the sun was shining brilliantly across the crisp green plains, and the air smelled fresh and of the wind. The land stretched on for miles in both directions with only the silhouette of the majestic mountains extending in the horizon. There were no trees in sight, just miles of grass and flowers. Once in a while, a large herd of bison could be seen, migrating with not a care in the world. Yes, for once, everything was peaceful and tranquil.

Or…it would have been if it weren't for a certain shinobi's constant whining and griping.

"Come _on!_ How are we not there yet?! It's been _four days! _How far is this place?!"

Everyone aboard the train was wishing they _were_ there by now as well, but mostly so they wouldn't hear Naruto's incessant whining anymore. Sakura and her unofficial team had left Konoha City in the early mornings of Saturday to head for Oni no Kuni where she would be forcefully taking her exam. On top of trying to ace the test, she also had to do a rescue mission. She wouldn't have minded the long trip; but with Naruto asking every five minutes "Are we there yet?" she was slowly going insane. As she pushed his ramblings from her mind, she glanced her mint green eyes to the man sitting in the farthest corner to her right. When she first met him three days ago, Sakura thought he was okay, having approved of having Hatake Kakashi as her teacher. However, her opinion of him quickly changed when he whipped out that orange book she was quite familiar with. Still, Sasuke told her to give him a chance because despite his appearance and his hobbies, Kakashi was actually a very good teacher. That or he was just saying that because Kakashi was apparently good friends with the family for a while.

Thinking of Sasuke, the young priestess was suddenly reminded of the conversation she and he had on the day they left. Sasuke said that he knew about her other personality—which she wasn't too happy about. But he said that she could have that other self sealed if she wanted to, so she can concentrate on healing her wounds. The only catch for her was she had to have that part of her mind sealed by the Yamanaka Clan. The clan that Ino was an heiress to. Sakura groaned as she slouched deeper into the cushion of her seat. To be honest, even if it sounded tempting, she wasn't sure if she could let someone into her head where all of her darkest secrets lie. It was already bad enough that Itachi entered, but to have another person see what her past was like? She just couldn't take the chance. Who was to say Inner Sakura won't force her way out once the door had been opened? Sasuke told her she wouldn't have to do this, but it would definitely make her life a whole lot easier if she didn't have to worry every second of the day about it. She told him she'd think about it, and if she'd go through with it, it would have to be done after the exam. That kind of work would exhaust and make her weaker than she already was.

Besides, if she happened to lose control, it's not like she'll be doing harm on humans. Just demons. So maybe, going to the Demon Country would be advantageous for her? She could let out all of the frustrations that she kept bottled up for years.

She blinked in slight shock.

Mentally, Sakura reprimanded herself for her cruel thoughts. _'What's the point of holding her back if I'll just let her take over when we enter the country? That was stupid!'_

During her mental self-berating session, a heavy weight was felt on her head, bringing her back to the train scenery. Curious but also a little peeved, Sakura brought her head up enough just to show her annoyed eyes. Sitting on her left was Sasuke, staring ahead at the window on the other side as he removed his large hand.

"You'll be fine," he said quietly so the others couldn't hear. He looked at her, intense as usual. "Are you worried?"

Glancing past him to where Naruto and Anko were arguing, and seeing that they were still going at it, Sakura leaned her head back against the back of her chair. Closing her eyes momentarily, she mumbled, "I suppose you can say that."

Sasuke waited patiently for her to speak.

After a few seconds, sea foam green eyes opened to stare past the ceiling. "Do you think it's a good idea?"

The boy tilted his head in inquiry. "What is?"

"Well, bringing in a crew just so the daimyos and kages can watch?" she clarified, still not looking at him. "The ofuda I made can protect them, but I'm still not sure if it's okay to bring civilians in such a dangerous country. Demons don't care. They just kill."

_'So that's what's bothering her,' _he thought in realization. Letting out a microscopic smile, he simply stated, "You should really give yourself more credit—those people do," he gestured to the large group with Naruto. "I'm sure you can protect them."

She scoffed, rolling her eyes sarcastically. "Or kill them."

Sasuke was going to comment on her last remarks, but was cut off when Naruto bounded over boisterously, dropping in the chair to the girl's right unceremoniously.

"Sakura-chan, why are you sitting here with boring ass Teme?" the blonde teased lightly. "You should be hanging with me! I'm way more fun."

The fifteen year old scoffed and then answered sardonically, "Luckily for me, I don't have to move now that you're here. Saves me the trouble of picking between the two of you."

Naruto's reaction to her heartless sarcasm was a twitching right eye. "I feel the love," he returned, equally sarcastic. "Anyways, I didn't think the first part of the exam was going to be so boring."

"Excuse me?"

"Well, I thought you were going to talk to ghosts to get your answers," Naruto defended, hands raised before him in argument.

Pink brows furrowed. "It's a written exam," Sakura pointed out blandly. "There were only ten questions. Not that hard."

Both boys looked at her incredulously.

"What?" the young woman groaned.

Sasuke chuckled while shaking his head as Naruto pulled his hair in frustration. "Those questions were freakishly hard," the blonde stated like it was obvious. "You had to cheat to find the answers."

This confused her. "I don't understand. Why must you cheat? Aren't you guys supposed to be smart?" she bombarded. "I mean you are _shinobi._"

Naruto grumbled, "Well not everyone is that freakin smart."

"The written exam was a test to see how well you could gather the enemy's information without being caught," Sasuke informed matter-of-factly. "If you got caught, your whole team failed. It was also to see how well the team worked together." He turned to her with a smirk. "I'm sure Anko didn't realize how smart you were."

"Yeah! Otherwise, she'd given you something harder," Naruto chimed in, stretching his arms above his head. "We figured it'd take you a longer time, but no~! You just had to finish the damn test in five minutes! Now we have nothing to do!"

From the far right corner, Kakashi groaned quietly before lifting his bored filled gaze from the orange book to give Naruto a stern look. "Naruto," the older shinobi said in a begging-like tone, "Can't you just sit patiently _and_ quietly like everyone else until we get there?"

The said boy then stared at his teacher exasperatedly. "Demo Kakashi-sensei, it's been four days! Then, the guy said we'd have to walk once we get to our stop because he apparently refuses to go farther! That's messed up!"

The silver haired man sighed, tired of trying to talk some sense into the irrational teen. "Look, this is necessary for Sakura to be a part of our team," came his statement clearly before the Copy Nin directed his one eye at the Jinchuuriki, "Or do you not want Sakura on the team?"

Naruto's face immediately fell at his teacher's tone with a pout. "I do, but—"

"No buts" Kakashi instantly cut off, one eye back on his book. And then he muttered, "Frankly, I'm glad we finally have, at least, one more sensible person on the team."

All three members of the team heard this, all with different reactions. Sasuke was sulking, mumbling sarcastic comments about the Copy Nin while Naruto merely crossed his arms in front of his chest like a child with a deeper pout. Sakura, on the other hand, was slightly surprised at his offhand polite comment. She didn't know what it was, but she felt a little warmth in her heart as Sasuke and Naruto sat on either side of her. She felt almost safe with them.

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From across the train car, Kakashi peeked from the top of his book, his only visible eye wrinkled in a smile, as he gazed upon his completed team. The three of them seemed perfect together with Naruto on her right, Sasuke on her left, and she in the center with a tiny smile on her pretty face. Yes, his team was finally whole.

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_Yokai_

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_Konoha City, 4: 34 PM…_

_Hokage Hall…_

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"Shizune, have all the daimyos and kages have been informed yet?" Tsunade inquired, bent over her desk, reading documents and reports.

The said assistant, standing beside the Godaime with Tonton in her arms, nodded affirmatively. "Yes, they should have received the documents yesterday," Shizune answered confidently. "Kakashi and his team should be arriving soon as well."

"When?"

"Well," the brunette mumbled as she set the pig down to go through the files on the desk, "According to the schedule, they should arrive at the border by nightfall. After that, they'll have to walk for a bit until they actually enter the territory."

Clasping her hands together in front of her face, a calculated expression made its way into her hazel eyes. "Once there, I wonder if she can control herself," the Hokage muttered contemplatively.

Shizune lowered her head, concerned for the pink haired girl as well. "Yes, after what Sasuke had informed us of, I wonder if sending her there was the right decision or not."

"Considering the request the yokai made of her, I'm sure she'll be able to do it," Tsunade reassured, leaning back against her chair. "Plus, if she can complete this without any casualties, I would consider this as her exam—rescue the kitsune and return everyone to safety."

"I hope you're right," Shizune spoke quietly, staring at the white clouds floating by.

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_Kurayami_

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_8: 00 PM…_

_On the border of Hi no Kuni and Oni no Kuni…_

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"Holy crap…"

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After the group was dropped off at the last stop in the middle of nowhere, they all walked for an hour; and most of the complaints came from, naturally, Naruto and the camera crew. Eventually, they reached their destination which they were currently gawking at. In all truthfulness, Naruto's crude comment wasn't really off. Perhaps it was more of an understatement—which would be a first. Not five minutes ago, the midnight sky was filled with millions upon millions of stars. However, as soon as they crossed the official border, it was like someone had turned off all the lights with only the darkness to accompany them. Needless to say, they were standing in the middle of nowhere of an extremely ominous and creepy forest—the ones that had the scary faces carved into the them and arms for branches—but that still didn't disregard the fact that they were now in enemy territory.

Sakura glanced over her shoulder tactfully, scanning the large group of people behind her: four expert shinobi, four civilians, a baby yokai, and herself. Not having started yet and she already felt a headache coming as well as severe fatigue. She let out a half-hearted sigh and turned to face the crowd.

"Alright, listen up!" she called out firmly, catching their attentions. "Do all of you have the talismans and beads I gave you on your person?"

A loud chorus of 'yeses' and 'yeps' rang out noisily in response.

The girl nodded her pink head satisfactorily. "Make sure they are on you at all times because they'll protect you when I'm not around to help," she warned with utmost seriousness. Her gaze then moved to the only female shinobi. "I know you're the proctor of the exam, Mitarashi-san, demo I'll lead since I'm more familiar with the territory. I'll—"

"Ano," one of the civilians muttered nervously from the back, cutting her off.

Sakura sighed again. "What, um, what's your name?"

"Sekimoto desu!" the man answered enthusiastically, and then continued after Sakura gestured him to. "Why wouldn't you be around to help? How would we be able to film you if you're not around?"

The four shinobi looked at him incredulously until they glanced over at the priestess who was pinching the bridge of her nose to ease the pain—but mostly not to snap at the moron.

"Sekimoto, was it?"

He nodded affirmatively.

"The reason I won't be around is because I'll be up ahead killing demons to protect your weak asses. Now, do you have any more stupid fuckin questions?" When no one else raise their hands or spoke up, Sakura carried on gruffly. "Look, the point is _stay together_ as a group. Absolutely, do _not _wander. Once you're gone, you're dead. Got it?"

The shinobi nodded once in understanding while the civilians shook their heads crazily in worry.

Emerald eyes then glanced back at the forest behind her, feeling the eyes of _them_ on her back. Turning towards to party, Sakura said clearly, "I know I gave you the charms, but that doesn't mean we don't take precautions." Pointing her hard stare at Sekimoto and the rest of the camera crew, she ordered, "I want the four of you to stay together, alright? This would make it easier on the shinobi protecting you. Hatake-san, you'll be at the front of the group as the leader. Mitarashi-san and Uzumaki-san, you'll take the sides. And Uchiha-san, you take the back."

Naruto raised his hand hesitantly, fearing she might snap at him. "Sakura-chan?"

"Yes, Uzumaki-san?"

A blonde brow lifted in confusion before he went on to ask, "Wouldn't it make more sense for me to be in the back? That way I can use my _Taijuu Kage Bushin_?"

Sakura had, in fact, considered this after reading their files. She was definitely surprised at the Jinchuuriki's abilities, especially since he was always acting like a dunce. But she had her reason for putting Sasuke at the end of the formation. "That would make more sense, but considering you don't have the power to ward off malevolent spirits, you'll be the defense and offense."

Kakashi was certainly impressed by her strategy as he thought it over. "Not only do we have the talismans, but Sasuke's ability to help block the demons," he concluded, nodding in approval. "Very good, Sakura."

Embarrassed by his praise, the fifteen year old hid her blush with a fake cough, the action making the boys of her team amused. "R-right; anyways, the miasma won't affect us if we stay together. That's the _key_," she emphasized and was about to head off when she felt a tug on her pant leg. Looking down, Sakura had completely forgotten about the kitsune. Picking the child up, she questioned gently, "Do you want to be with the group?"

Arata shook his head stubbornly. "No, I want to stay with you," he replied earnestly.

"Alright, but it'll be dangerous," the rosette cautioned in a low tone. "Are you sure?"

Once again, Arata gave a sure nod.

Sensing that she wouldn't be able to change his mind, Sakura allowed him to sit on her head. "Get yourselves ready," came her announcement. "We'll be leaving in a few minutes."

Seeing everyone busy with their own equipment, Sasuke took this chance to go over and check on the rosette priestess. "Sakura," he whispered quietly beside her.

Hearing the Uchiha call her, Sakura briefly hoisted her pack onto her back, readjusting the straps as she acknowledged his presence. "Uchiha-san? What did you need?"

Pulling her aside so no one can hear them, Sasuke asked her seriously, "Are you sure you want to do this, Sakura?"

"Of course," Sakura responded like it was evident with a frown on her face, but was somewhat touched that he was worried for her. "Like you said, I'll be fine."

The boy groaned in slight frustration. "But doesn't this hurt?" Sasuke inquired curtly, gently moving the locks from her wound. With her wearing her cropped leather jacket with that ridiculous low cut white shirt of hers, he could clearly see the wound and how it was reacting with the youki surrounding them.

Unconsciously, the young woman blushed, feeling the weight of his hand against the flesh of her collarbone. "Yes, but if this is what I have to do to stay with you guys, it's fine," she replied just as briskly, shrugging his hand off.

Realizing just how stubborn the girl was, Sasuke relented with a heavy sigh. The brunette ran his hand through his hair before settling his black eyes on her. "Give me your hand," he ordered while grabbing something from his jacket pocket.

Mint eyes narrowed at the random demand. "Nande?" Sakura asked in suspicion.

Sasuke rolled his eyes and let out an annoyed growl. "Just give it to me," he mumbled, pulling her right hand before she could have any say. The priestess tried to pull back, but the fourteen year old Uchiha merely ignored her, keeping a firm hold. After he slid the object onto her thin wrist, he allowed her to pull back to examine the thing.

"What…is this?" On her wrist was a beaded bracelet of jade held together with a thick red cord and a tassel hanging off the end. There was a puzzled grimace on her face as she tried to figure out what he was doing. Instinctively, Sakura could feel someone else's spiritual chakra in the beads, but it wasn't his. Her eyes widen. Her head snapped up in shock. "Uchiha-san, this is—!"

"That bracelet belonged to my mother," Sasuke finished quietly. "It's not much; however, it can help hold back the jaki. Anyways…"

And suddenly the air between them turned awkward since Sakura refused to say 'thank you.' Not that she wasn't grateful, but that phrase wasn't really in her vocabulary. Thankfully for her, Kakashi decided to make his appearance behind Sasuke with a grin on his face or what it seemed like with the crinkled eye.

"Am I interrupting anything?" the old man asked, feigning innocence.

The brunette looked at Kakashi like he was crazy before stomping away, grumbling incoherently about this and that.

Once Sasuke cleared the area and was out of earshot, Kakashi returned his attention to the rosette who was visibly apprehensive around him. "Do you remember me, Sakura?" he asked kindly, bending down to her eye level.

At his questioning, Sakura tried to remember when she saw the man who was supposed to be her teacher slash team leader. Then she remembered. "You were with Itachi-san in Ame," came her sure answer.

Happy that she did recognize him, the silver haired man smiled warmly at her. "I know your history as well," he started, catching her off guard. "However, despite knowing this, I do hope that you let me be a part of your life, too." When the young woman was about to speak, Kakashi held up a hand to stop her. "I'm sure you felt it with Naruto and Sasuke, but I also had a nostalgic feeling when I met you."

As Kakashi finished, Sakura realized that he was waiting for her to speak. Though she didn't want to admit it, but, to her, the man before her felt more of a father than her own. "I feel the same as well, but—" Sakura stopped instantly as the Copy Nin put his hand on her head.

"Don't push yourself. I just wanted to let you know that I'll definitely help you when you need it," he clarified simply. "Anyways, that's all I wanted to say. Oh! Also, please call me Kakashi or Kakashi-sensei if that makes you more comfortable. Hatake-san was my dad," he joked light-heartedly.

Dumbly, the priestess could only nod as the silver haired shinobi walked away. Shaking her head to clear herself and coughing to clear her throat, Sakura looked at the group sternly and fiercely.

"Let's move people!"

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_Youki_

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_9: 57 PM_

_Deeper in the forest…_

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"Sakura-chan!" Naruto whined her name as he panted from exhaustion. "Can we rest now?!"

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When only the silence of the dark and suffocating forest answered them, Kakashi immediately motioned for everyone to stop. Without thinking, the four protectors pulled out their weapons in defense, their backs to the civilians. It was hard to see with no light to brighten up their surroundings. That was how it should be, darkness all around. But from within the bushes and shrubbery, they all could see eyes glowing red and yellow, peeking at them hungrily. Sensing that they were surrounded on all sides, the four shinobi backed up, making the party tighter.

Kakashi moved his hair out of the way, revealing his left Sharingan. "Whatever you do," he spoke quietly. "Do not separate from the group. Sasuke's barrier and Sakura's protective spells only work in close range."

"B-but what about Haruno-san?" Sekimoto asked, fright quivering his voice.

One of the camera guys beside him nodded anxiously. "Yeah! She's all by herself!"

While Kakashi tried to formulate a plan, Sasuke clicked his tongue in frustration as the fog slowly gathered around his feet. Glancing back at Kakashi, he wondered what the man was planning before directing his Sharingan gaze back at the demons.

_'Where's Sakura?'_

As if reading his thoughts, Kakashi said calmly, "Sakura can take care of herself; she's the expert here. But right now, we're more worried about keeping you alive."

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_Buzz!_

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_ Buzz!_

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The sound of something getting buzzed caught Team Kakashi's attention. Eyes scanned the area hastily trying to pinpoint the sounds as it grew stronger and stronger. Anko was the first to notice, feeling a slight tingling on her wrist. Looking down, her mauve- colored eyes saw sparks of electricity coming from the beads.

"The beads are working!" she hollered over her shoulder.

"Nani?" Naruto yelled back and looked at his own beads. "She's right, they are! Sasuke's barrier is working, too," the blonde added, watching the fog float above them, shaping themselves oddly as if an invisible dome was blocking them.

The Copy Nin bobbed his head in satisfaction. "Alright, let's move forward slowly," he instructed. "Step carefully."

Naruto, Sasuke, and Anko all stepped in sync with Kakashi as he led the group onward. As they moved, though, so did the fog. They continued moving like this until they reached a clearing. What they saw surprised them. In the back, a girlish yelp sounded from the camera crew. Filling the rotting clearing was multiple piles upon piles of mutilated demon parts. The scent of sulfur and decomposition filled the air, the miasma from the bodies tainting it. Kakashi narrowed his eyes at the piles and noticed that some parts were still moving as other demons were eating at the putrefying flesh.

"Everyone, masks on!" Anko ordered authoritatively, and quickly each person pulled out a mask in the shape of a lion dog's mouth with a filtering system. "The shouki is going to get thicker unless we get out."

The Jinchuuriki groaned in impatience and annoyance. "How the hell are we going to do that when our guide's missing?!"

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_"Help…"_

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The youngest Uchiha's ears perked up at the small plea. It was faint, but he was sure he heard it. Irritated at Naruto's constant rambling, he snapped at the Uzumaki, "Shut up, Naruto! Don't you heart that?"

"Hear what?!" Naruto snapped back.

"Just be quiet and listen!"

And so the entire group quieted down, straining their ears to listen.

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_"Help me…please!"_

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Gasps and surprised expression went all around.

That time Naruto did hear it and frowned. Snapping his head to and fro, he asked confusedly, "Where's that coming from?"

The camera crew looked at each other until Sekimoto spotted someone leaning against one of the piles closest to them limply. He let out a yelp and pointed at the person, alarming the others. "There! Someone's there!" The naïve man was going to run out and help when Sasuke held him back tightly. "What are you doing? That person needs our help!"

Still Sasuke wouldn't let him go, a bad feeling creeping up on his spine. "Don't go out," came his firm command. "It's a trap."

"You see it, too, Sasuke?" Kakashi surmised, his Sharingan analyzing the chakra flow of that person.

The brunette nodded once.

Anko frowned in bewilderment. "What is it, Kakashi?"

Without removing his eyes off the figure, the silver haired shinobi answered, "That person is not human. The chakra flow is off and the miasma should've killed them instantly."

"It will if you don't help!" argued Sekimoto. Turning to his colleague, he pointed to other cameraman from earlier who was an older black haired graying gentleman. "Chiba, come help me!"

Chiba shook his head wildly like Sekimoto had lost his mind. "No way! Didn't you hear them? That person isn't even human!"

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_"Please, someone help!"_

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Sekimoto looked at all of them with incredulity. "How can you not help?"

Having enough of his foolishness, Sasuke yanked on his arm harshly, his face close to the civilian. "Because it's not human, got it? Now stay put."

Even so, Sekimoto ignored their orders and ran out to help the pleading person.

"Hey!"

"Stop Sekimoto!"

"Come back!"

Kakashi swore under his breath before ordering his team to stay put as he went to get the idiot back. As soon as he caught up, he saw the young man turning his back around in a low crouch to help what looked like an old woman. However, the minute he left his back vulnerable, the old woman gradually morphed into a scraggly hag with sharp teeth, red bulging eyes, wild oily hair, and a torn up kimono. The Copy Nin's eyes widened in horror as the demon pulled out a large butcher knife the size of a coffee table to slice the young man right down the middle.

"Sekimoto, get out of the way!" Kakashi shouted loudly, throwing several kunai at the hag. The attack distracted her enough for Kakashi to dash in and grab the apparent leader of the crew. The two men rolled several yards away from the demon hag, the civilian more confused than anything. "Are you okay?"

Not paying any attention to the man that saved him from being food, the young man scrambled to his feet, wide-eyed, "What the fuck was that?"

"That's an Onibaba," Kakashi quickly replied breathlessly, pulling Sekimoto back to the group. "Hurry! We need to get back!"

"AH!" Sekimoto yelped, falling to the ground. "Help!"

Kakashi turned back to see Sekimoto being dragged back by silver threads from Onibaba. Not letting panic drive him, the man groaned and ran back to save him again. "Calm down, Sekimoto! I'm coming!"

However, as predicted, the man was screaming his head off in hysterical panic, not even hearing the shinobi.

Narrowing his eyes to see the strings better, the shinobi pulled several shuriken from his holster, and with deadly accuracy, cut the threads. Leaping into the air, Kakashi tossed more of the flying stars at the demon, cutting into her ashen skin. She screeched at the attack, now angrier than ever.

_"Onore!"_ she shrieked, wielding her giant cleaver. _"I'll chop your legs first, so you'll stop running!"_

Kakashi was already at Sekimoto's side when the hag flashed before them. The glint of the knife shone brightly as she brought it down to slice at them. The silver haired man could only use his body as a shield, having no time to deflect the blade.

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"AH!"

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The loud screech of agony echoed throughout the air and surrounding forest, causing Kakashi to open his eyes which he unconsciously closed. Peering cautiously over his shoulders, the man was astonished to find Onibaba pinned beneath a large black beast. Viciously, the fiend clamped its fangs onto the hag's head, ripping the skull straight from the spine as muscles tore and bones cracked with a gurgled cry. The veins and arteries were yanked from the rest of the body while the black demonic creature shook its head this way and that to tear the ligaments and tendons, splattering blood across Kakashi's face. Once the head was brutally thrown to the side, the demon then made its way to the rest of the body, crunching on the bones and eating the organs.

The Copy Nin was too stun to move, his body shaking from such animosity displayed. He was so entranced by the bloody scene before him that he didn't notice the little kitsune jump from the black beast's back to latch onto his arm. Startled from the abrupt contact, Kakashi pulled out a kunai until he realized who it was.

"Arata?" he asked exasperatedly. "Wha, What are you doing here? Where's Sakura?" It was then he saw the filtering mask on the young fox's face.

However, before Kakashi could even get a word out, Arata was already yelling in short breaths. "Run! Run!"

Sensing the urgent tone, the man tossed Sekimoto onto his back with Arata still attached to him. "Sakura wa?"

"Sakura-sama is fighting off the other demons back there!" the yokai explained. "She sent Hiei to help you guys!"

A silver brow lifted in bewilderment for a moment until it clicked in his head. "That black demon back there?"

"Yeah! He didn't want to leave her though!"

Up ahead, the shinobi could see his team and the rest of the crew still huddled together. Glad that no one else was hurt, Kakashi sprinted faster, wanting to be in the range of safety now. Once back inside the barrier, he set Sekimoto down with the other civilians, and then sat down himself to calm his rapidly beating heart. Naruto was immediately at his side, pure concern and fear splashed across his face.

"Kakashi-sensei, are you okay?" the blonde asked worriedly. "There's a lot of blood. Are you wounded?"

The man shook his head, still trying to catch his breath.

Anko also moved from her position to kneel next to the man. "Yeah, what happened? After you left the barrier, we couldn't see you anymore. You just suddenly disappeared in the miasma," the kunoichi stated. "Why are you covered in blood?"

Swallowing more saliva to his dry throat, Kakashi merely tilted his head up with a tired smile.

Outraged by his response, Naruto was going to yell at his teacher until the little fox popped up from the shinobi's shoulder.

"That's because of Hiei!" the kitsune exclaimed, hopping from Kakashi's shoulder to Naruto's head.

"Eh? What are you going on about, squirt?" the Jinchuuriki growled.

The fox rolled his gold eyes. "That's Sakura-sama's beast of darkness. He feeds on the darkness around him, making him stronger." Then he gestured with a nod of his head at the Hatake's direction. "He saved Gramps over there from being eaten by Onibaba.

The said "Gramps" twitched at the name, too tired to say anything though. Sasuke, on the other hand, was getting annoyed by the minute with this back and forth banter.

"Where is Sakura, Arata?" Sasuke enunciated through gritted teeth, not even realizing he said her first name in front of everyone. "Why isn't she with you?"

The kitsune's face and ears fell in guilt as he recalled what happened. "When Sakura-sama sent me to you, she was cornered and covered in blood and a lot of injuries. Also, both her eyes just turned red," the baby yokai said crestfallenly, sad that he had to leave her behind on her orders.

"We gotta go after her," the Uchiha decided hastily, clutching his Kusanagi.

"And how do you expect us to find someone in this damn forest?" Anko barked, always hating his Uchiha attitude. "You can't just run off, Uchiha, whenever you want to. Look at what happened to that idiot and Kakashi. They almost got killed! We have a new mission now and that's to protect these people," she gestured to the camera crew. "Now get yourself toge—"

_Boom!_

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_ Boom!_

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_ Boom!_

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Before them landed Sakura in a huge crater with a monstrously big demon towering over her, its hand clamped around her tiny throat, making her spit copious amounts of blood.

"Sakura!"

"Sakura-chan!"

The boys screamed for her, their instincts telling them to run out and help and protect her. But both were held back by Kakashi and Anko firmly. Naruto and Sasuke struggled against them to get free, yet their superiors wouldn't budge.

"Let go, damn it!" Naruto yelled, still flailing about. "We have to help her!"

"What can you two possibly do to help her?" Kakashi spoke loudly over the teens, making them stop to think. "You'd only be a liability if you go out there! The only thing we can do for her is support her and trust her."

Once his words got through to them, Sasuke and Naruto resigned themselves to watching the girl struggle for life, praying that she'd survive from within the safety of the barrier.

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_Jaki_

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_With Sakura…_

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Her body was on fire. That was the only word she could think of for the pain she was experiencing. Every move, every breath hurt her everywhere. The multiple impacts her body took from being tossed around was finally taking its toll on her. But despite the pain, despite the fact that her eyes were probably bleeding in liters, she felt clear headed than she ever did for the first time in years. Inner Sakura wasn't screaming at her like she normally would to be released from the Red Room. There wasn't the familiar throbbing ache she always felt, that always came before a battle. There wasn't anything to hold her back, anything that made her worry about losing control. She was finally able to breathe. It was a strange sensation and she wondered what could've caused it and then caught sight of the beads Sasuke gave her. Sakura realized then that the beads were holding her other self back.

Not being one to waste an opportunity like this, the priestess called for her beast strongly. "HIEI!"

A roar in the distance boomed noisily, letting her know that he was on his way to help her. In the meantime, Sakura tried to get out of the tight grip, but it was no use. Her body was beaten. The ogre was gigantic and had her body pinned beneath its large reddish brown palm. His face was hovering so near her own that she could smell the scent of putrefaction and decay. Saliva dripped next to her, melting the ground deeper into the earth. Her eyes widened in alarm, not wanting the next drop of spit to fall on her. The only thing free was her right arm and it did her no good when her katana was yards away. Nevertheless, she still tried to reach for the blade with narrowed eyes and gritted teeth.

_'Chikushou!' _Sakura screamed mentally. _'I can't reach it!_

It was at that moment something rang in her mind. Her eyes were bleeding. She could feel the thickness of the liquid flowing, leaking from her eyes. They were red. They only turned red in extreme emotional duress.

_'I…I can use my powers…'_

With no inner self to take over, she could use her psychic abilities to grab the sword. Closing her eyes, she imagined invisible hands reaching, stretching, and grabbing the hilt of the katana. The blade shook only a little bit, not moving from its place. Clenching her eyes tighter, her right hand was splayed wide and straining as she concentrated harder to grab the sword. Feeling the invisible hands again, she secured the sword tightly. Then bright crimson orbs snapped open at the contact of the katana in the flesh of her palm.

_Boom!_

_ Boom!_

_ Boom!_

_ Boom!_

The echoing steps of her summoned demon drew nearer and nearer, giving the priestess more confidence as she swung the blade over to stab the Oni's arm. At the same time, it let out a roar of pain while Hiei tore through the flesh of its shoulder junction, puncturing the jugular. The beast, after getting a good clamp in, began pulling, lifting the ogre off his master while trying to rip more into the tough muscles. Once free, Sakura leapt to her feet swiftly, eyes scanning for the red demon. A scream on the far left showed her that Hiei had already taken care of the demon, shredding its heart with his sharp deadly claws.

Her head bobbed up and down, satisfied with his work before turning to sprint back to the group. Her body swayed a little, but her legs kept her moving. There was nothing in her head, just the function to kill. She didn't care if her body was drenched in blood or that they'll be afraid of her. If it meant keeping these people alive, then she didn't care if they saw this side of her. Her rationality flew out the window once she knew that everyone was in danger. As she neared the party, her ruby eyes could perceive Naruto waving wildly while yelling at her. However, she couldn't hear anything he said.

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_What is he saying? _

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Her body suddenly felt heavy.

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_I don't know._

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The world was blurring.

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_It's so dark._

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The screams became muffled.

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_I feel so…so…sleepy_

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_**Sakura-chan~**_

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_ Huh? Is someone calling me?_

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_**Sakura-chan~**_

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She turned around and saw no one. Trying again, she ran back to her group.

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_**…you can't keep me here forever…**_

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_ What? Who's there?_

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_**Hee…heh-heh…**_

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Ahead, Sakura could see that Naruto was getting annoyed as he cupped his hands around his mouth to shut…

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_**Gotcha! **_

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But it was already too late.

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_Crunch!_

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_ "AH~!"_

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Sakura felt her bones crushed from the force of the bite as she was thrown on her back in the direction she came. The brunt force of the throw cause a few of her ribs to crack and break, forcing more of the sticky red liquid out of her throat. The girl had no time to recover while another sharp piercing agony stabbed her in her open wound.

"GAH~!" came her ear shattering scream as the demon began to suck on her blood through the suctions of its tongue.

_"More! More! More!" _it chanted happily, high on her blood with demonic eyes turning redder and redder.

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_It hurts! Someone please!_

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Suddenly, in her blurry vision, she could see parts of the Red Room and Inner Sakura, more blood than she had ever seen her, in the center of the dark room. Her other self's head was bowed down, clumpy bangs stuck together and covering her face. But still, she could see. She could see that wicked deranged smile on her bloody lips.

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_No!_

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_ No!_

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_ NO!_

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Inner Sakura now floated above her, the blood stained dress flowing as if in water. Tears pushed their way into her eyes as the fact that she was going to die grew stronger with every second she wasted doubting herself. While the demon sucked the life out of her, her other self merely smiled that pretty smile she always had, at the same time stroking her face.

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_**All you have to do is say yes…**_

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Tears blended with the blood, leaving pinkish orange streaks down her cheeks. Her body was now numb and cold. Her eyes were straining to remain open, yet black was pushing its way from the edge of her vision.

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Tiredly yet keenly aware, she watched as her red darker self slid her fingers from the inside of her thigh, skimming past her pelvis, up her abdomen before pressing the phalanges in the valley of her breasts where her heart laid behind the protection of the sternum. From the touch, she could feel her heart slowing down. She could feel the cruel lips curled at curved of her collarbone.

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_**Which is it to be, Sakura-chan? Life…or…death?**_

_..._

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"She's dying! Let me go to her!" Sasuke raged on, trying to yanked free of Kakashi's grips. As soon as he saw her being bitten, he knew it was over. He needed to get out there and help her. "Damn it, Kakashi! Let me go! Sakura!"

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"_I…! I…! I choose li—"_

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"SAKURA!"

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_BOOM!  
…_

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Sasuke was able to break free finally and was running towards the unconscious girl until a large force emanated from her body, forcing the demon off of her. The young man froze, shielding his eyes from the whirling dust when the demon landed close to his person. He watched as she rose from her prone position, red chakra swirling around her entire body.

"Sakura?"

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Sakura twitched at the sound of her name from a voice so familiar yet so different. Her wide-eyed crazed stare peered over her shoulder to see the Uchiha boy. But as she did so, she saw a flash of him bloody instead of herself wearing a white shirt and black pants. He looked like the same boy before her: same face, same hair, same eyes. However, there was one distinct difference she noticed. That Sasuke had colder, bloodier eyes than the one standing before her.

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_Ba-bum!_

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_**You little bitch! Let me out! Let me out! LET ME OUT!**_

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She drew in a quick breath at the sharp sudden pain in her head, falling to her knees while clutching her head.

"Sakura-chan! Sakura-chan!"

In front of her, the young woman could see the demon she threw off earlier was now bounding for the group. Not letting the pain overwhelm her, the young priestess got up slowly and shakily, allowing anger to fill her up instead of fear. Unaware of it, Sakura didn't notice the sudden copious amounts of blood now flowing from her eyes. Despite the agonizing burn the demon left on her, she leapt into the air, katana firmly in hand, ready to kill the vermin. From the sky, she spotted the abomination now trying to run away into the dark forest.

Her gaze narrowed to thin slits, the ruby orbs glowing in an ominous light in the moonless night. She wasn't going to let it escape. Even if it begged her, she was going to ripped its heart out like the other demons she has slain. Swiftly, Sakura landed on its back, the tip of the blade going directly in the back of the neck, severing the spinal cord and splashing her face and throat more with the sticky red fluid. The force of the attack went so deep; it passed the other side of the large neck, shattering the katana against the earth into smaller pieces. Not fazed by what she had done, the young woman stood up coolly, yanking the shortened blade as she did so. With no longer any hesitation in her movements, her body did a rapid and fluid turn to the right as her right hand flicked the short blade in that direction. A dull thump was heard as the blade penetrated a demon's skull.

When the demon fell over heavily, it was as if the sound had woken her from a trance. Pink lashes now coated with demons' blood fluttered against her red stained cheeks several times while eyelids blinked rapidly. The girl calmly examined herself and let out a deep sigh. Her clothes were in tatters. Half of her leather jacket was ripped off, her white blouse was currently red and in shreds, and her pants barely covered her legs, having been torn off during the ambush. To top it off, she was completely soaked in all kinds of blood, the stench of it penetrating her nostrils. A low thud sounded beside her and the rosette turned to see it was Hiei with her pack in his mouth. The fifteen year old nodded gratefully, petting his head gently.

It was then she noticed the feeling of someone staring at her, and she twisted around to see it was Sasuke. For some unknown reason, she felt her heart sink at the sight of him, seeing her in this state.

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_Shouki_

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_10: 30 PM…_

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…

It was horrifying and mesmerizing at the same time. The scene before him. It was like she belonged in it as she stood proudly, strong and tall, with her dark beast lingering behind her and dead bodies of her enemies at her feet. What, perhaps, drawn him in and made her looked like she belonged was the shining vermillion glow of not only her eyes but her beast's. Regardless of the blood splattered across her white pale face, she was calm and beautiful to him.

But that image shattered as red returned to vivid clear green, her eyes rolling to the back of her head.

Without thinking, Sasuke broke free of his frozen state to catch her before she hit the ground. However, her loyal demon caught her before he could. As he moved toward them, Hiei let out a protective growl, making the Uchiha stop in his path.

"Don't worry," he assured, hand reached out. "I'm a friend. I won't hurt her."

And then, Hiei did something Sasuke didn't expect him to do. He scoffed at him. "That's not the first time I heard that from an Uchiha," Hiei mocked in sarcasm. "My lady is better off without you in her life again."

His ears caught the emphasis on the last statement as a wrinkle appeared between his brows. "What?"

Before he could get an answer from the beast, Hiei was cut off when Arata yelled for Sakura. The kitsune cried in worry when he witnessed her intense battle. The little fox lifted his tearful gaze from the girl to the beast. "Will she be okay?"

He bowed his head slightly while hoisting his mistress onto his back. "She'll be fine," the beast answered deeply. Seeing the rest of the group came up, Hiei stated in a deep tone, directing his gaze at Sasuke, "We need to leave. This level of youki will attract more demons." Then Hiei turned away, but not before Sasuke stopped him.

"Wait!" he called, running to catch up with the demon. "What did you mean in 'her life again'? I've never met her before any of this happened!"

Almost regretting he ever said that, Hiei went face to face with the young Uchiha. "You may not remember what happened after so many years have passed, but we will. We won't let you hurt Hakurei Sakura again." That being said, the dark beast turned away, continuing in the directions they were originally headed for.

Getting the hint that the conversation was over, Sasuke twisted around to find Naruto right behind him. He grunted, taking notice of the curiosity on his friend's face.

"What was that about, Teme?" Naruto asked crudely. "And where is that thing going? What's with Sakura-chan? Is she okay?"

Sasuke lifted a hand to stop the nonstop barrage of questions. "First off, none of your business," Sasuke began blandly, ignoring Naruto's puppy-eyed look. "Second, we need to leave before more demons get here," he said this while looking at everyone until returning his stare back at the blonde. "Thirdly, Sakura's fine. She just passed out."

Kakashi stepped up. "Alright, you heard him! Let's get going!" Kakashi announced to the party.

With no arguments—everyone being too exhausted by the current events to do so—everyone readjusted their bags before following the huge demon. While every other person was keeping close and murmuring amongst themselves, Naruto ran faster to catch up with the brooding Uchiha who was sulking as usual. The blonde knew his best friend was sulking because of how hunched over he was with his hands shoved deeper into his pockets. With his attitude, Naruto couldn't help but feel like teasing him to get the brunette out of that annoying mode of his.

"So…" Naruto drawled out, glancing at Sasuke from the corner of his eye.

Sasuke ignored him, opting to glare at the beast ahead. But that itchy feeling he got when Naruto had his stupid grin on was getting worse, so he responded gruffly, "What?"

A cheeky giggle came from the blonde as the grin widened. "You called her Sakura," he pointed out boldly, enjoying the shade of pink on the stoic Uchiha's normally pale complexion. "When did you two get so close, huh~?"

Still Sasuke tried to ignore him, but it didn't work when he remembered the kiss from the days earlier.

Naturally, being best friends with an ice block, Naruto caught the quadruple shade of red. "Oh ho~! Something good did happen! Tell me!"

"No! Go away, Usuratonkachi!"

"HA! You only call me that when you're embarrassed, annoyed, or pissed off—which is basically all the time, but still! Spill it!"

The Uchiha willed his feet to move faster to escape the nosy Jinchuuriki.

However, the Uzumaki merely scoffed. _'Two can play that game!' _Bringing chakra to his feet, Naruto caught up with Sasuke in less than three seconds. "Did you two do the naughty?"

At this, Sasuke choked on his saliva, stopping to beat on his chest. "Baka! We barely know each other!"

A loud guffaw erupted from the bright teen, the laughter catching everyone's attention. "You did, didn't you? Haha! You're real smooth, Teme!" Naruto teased noisily, now perking everyone's interest.

"Smooth with what?" Kakashi came up casually, a bored look in his eye.

The blonde ran up beside his teacher, whispered none too quietly in the man's ear. Sasuke could only watch red faced as his teacher's eye widen in surprise. The embarrassment increased tenfold when the man smiled at him. He groaned, hand covering his face.

"Sasuke, you didn't," his teacher said skeptically, though there was a teasing undertone. "I knew I did good putting my teachings to you kids! Haha! Guess the books helped?"

And then, it was like the tables turned, and the boys started attacking their teacher.

"Only you would read that crap!" Sasuke yelled in annoyance.

Naruto nodded his head vigorously in agreement. "Plus, that stuff's boring."

At this, the Uchiha and Hatake stared at him, both with one brow lifted.

"What?" he asked innocently before shrugging. "Ero-sennin makes me read that crap, but I find it pretty boring."

With no words to say, Sasuke stomped away, grumbling about idiotic friends and perverted teachers. Naruto noticed, and ran to catch up with his friend again. Kakashi just stood by himself, confused by what just went happened. Shrugging his shoulders, the silver haired shinobi walked faster until he caught up with the silent creature. Once next to the enigmatic demon, Kakashi spied with his eye and saw that Arata was asleep beside the exhausted rosette. Thankful that she was okay, the man then moved his gaze curious gaze to the ancient beast. He stood very tall at more than seven feet with only his body height. The top of his head was probably at eight feet, Kakashi assumed. In his opinion, the beast of darkness looked like a giant wolf, just somewhat stockier. His fur was completely black with only his eyes being red. The red orbs themselves looked about as big as his closed first. It made him curious about how much those old eyes have seen that made them so hard. He wondered how long this creature has been partners with this child.

"How long have you been her partner, Hiei-san?" the shinobi asked in polite conversation.

Hiei observed Kakashi from the corner of his large eye for a moment before moving his eyes back ahead. "Years," came the curt and short response. "Until the day comes she doesn't need me anymore, I will stay by her side."

"Sou ka…" the man quietly mumbled. "So where are we headed?"

Not minding the abrupt change in subject, the beast simply answered, "Safety."

Pleased, Kakashi gave Hiei a nod before glancing over his shoulder at Sasuke who was still trying to push Naruto away. Turning back to the demon, Kakashi asked softly, "May I ask what you meant by your comment to Sasuke earlier? It sounded about the same as what Ame-Warashi had said to him."

The beast let out what Kakashi assumed was a chuckle. "Figures she'd say something like that," Hiei commented lightly, noticing that the man was still waiting patiently for him. He sighed heavily, looking forward at the darkness. "Before living in the Land of Lightning, the Hakurei Clan occupied the Fire Region for a while long before Sakura-sama was born," the demon explained carefully, remembering times of the past. "The Lady doesn't know this, but before they left, the Hakurei Clan and the Uchiha Clan used to work well together to vanquish the demons in that region. With the warding abilities from the Uchiha's and the purification powers from the Hakurei's, the land was peaceful."

A single silver eyebrow rose in slight astonishment. "I've never heard of this before," Kakashi remarked with a frown.

"None of this was ever written down. It all happened long before the First Great Ninja War."

"So what happened? After the war started?"

"Once the war began, mistrust was everywhere even among the Hakurei and Uchiha clans. Despite being friends for a many, many years, the Uchiha's began to suspect the Hakurei's. They thought the Hakurei's were plotting against them like all the others, even when that clan said there was no such thing going on."

"What did the Uchiha's do to betray the Hakurei's?" Kakashi inquired, his eye observing the distant gleam in Hiei's huge and all-too-knowing dark red orbs.

After a moment of silence, save for the crunching sounds of leaves and broken twigs beneath their feet, the beast spoke quietly, "It's what they _didn't _do that cost the clan their lives."

"What?" the shinobi asked surprised.

Ruby eyes tilted upwards to the pitch black sky, recalling every detail of that night. It was a horrible memory. The one thing that still stood out to him, even after one thousand years since then, was the look of hurt and betrayal in his master's eyes. He would have given anything to keep her from seeing all that she did. But that was why this time, he'd stay by his new master's side no matter what.

"In spite of the war around them, the Hakurei Clan still helped the surrounding villages whether it was an exorcism or healing. Ever since the war broke out, more and more demons were roaming about, feeding on the evil intentions of man. Hoping that their friends would still be there to help them, the Hakurei's went to exterminate a large demon that had been terrorizing many villages that were affected by the war. The clan waited and waited, but in the end, the Uchiha's never came. Only a handful of Hakurei's are left. As you well know, they are in hiding now. The Uchiha's betrayed them, leaving them for dead."

The shinobi lowered his head, hearing the end of the story, eye closing tightly and imagining what that clan went through. It was no wonder they were so distrustful when he came to their hidden village. "Luckily, some managed to survive, right?" Kakashi pointed out. "Otherwise, Sakura wouldn't have been born."

The beast twitched slightly at the comment, but Kakashi said nothing of it. Glancing sideways, Hiei stated, "Yes, they did; but I don't want Sakura-sama to know of this." When he was given a curious look, the demon grunted. "It might stir up some…memories."

The Copy Nin was going to question Hiei some more until a soft groan caught his attention. Redirecting his focus to Hiei's high back, Kakashi saw the pink haired teen stir from her sleep, waking up slowly.

"Hiei, stop," came her groggy command.

Doing as he was told, he stopped right in front of a dead tree and beside a wall of blackened vines.

The man was going to help her get off the tall creature, but a blur of blue and black beat him to her. Stepping back, Kakashi hid his smile and let Sasuke take over.

Unaware of everybody's lingering stares, the boy helped the girl down while pulling off his jacket. Just as the rosette began to protest, Sasuke leaned in to whisper, "Wear it if you don't want them to see your scars."

Just like that, Sakura took it without argument, satisfying the Uchiha. Silently, she turned to the vine-covered wall, not paying any mind to everyone else's presence. Closing her eyes to concentrate, her left hand overlapped the right with the fore and middle fingers upright, forming the _Ram_ sign.

"What is she doing?" asked Anko from behind the brunette, making him focus his gaze on her instead of the priestess.

Naruto, who was also behind him, pouted. "I was going to say that," he grumbled childishly, crossing his arms.

The kunoichi only rolled her eyes before asking again. "Well?"

Sasuke frowned. "How should I know?"

"She's trying to open the seal," interrupted Kakashi.

Sekimoto pushed through his crew with a tired and confused frown. "What are you talking about?"

"There is a spiritual barrier here," Hiei spoke, surprising them once more. Though he himself wasn't. It was hard for most humans to get used to talking demons, he figured. "On the other side is a place the Hakurei's have used for generations as a safe house. Only those with permission may enter."

"Well, we don't have permission," Naruto pointed out with furrowed brows. "Does that mean we can't go in?"

Before anyone could speak out, a bright blue glow caught their attention. The light emitted came from the young priestess as she removed her right hand, keeping the left in the half _Ram _sign. Spreading her fingers and hovering it before the vine-filled barrier, all the glow flowed from her whole figure and travelled to that extended hand. The chakra of her spiritual powers then flowed into the wall, the energy pulsating it. Once the chakra passed through, the wall out of nowhere rippled as if made of water. Then keeping her left hand as it was, the rosette stepped aside, gesturing for everyone to go through.

"Uh…" Sekimoto blurted smartly.

Green eyes rolled. "You walk through it." When no one still didn't make a move through the portal, Sakura jerked her head at Hiei with Arata on top of his head. "Please."

Doing as asked, the beast stepped beyond the rippling wall, ignoring the random gasps.

Sakura snapped her gaze back to the party. "Anyone with me will always have permission as long as I'm present," she explained like it was clearly obvious. "Civilians first, then the shinobi."

Once all the camera crew was past the barrier, the four shinobi looked at her expectantly.

Since they said nothing, she growled out, "What?"

"Well, aren't you going to go in first?" Naruto asked for them.

She sighed, and shook her head. "I have to go in last to close the seal." She looked directly at Kakashi with a serious expression. "Hurry it up, so I can close it."

Hearing her reasoning, the oldest man ushered everyone on his team in quickly, realizing the barrier will only hold for a little bit. It wouldn't make the dark demon very happy if his master got locked out because of their indiscretion. After everyone was through, Sakura followed with her back to the wall first before walking backwards into the barrier. As soon as she crossed over, the fifteen year old dropped her hand, wanting to fall forward due to the seal until she felt a nudge on her right. She felt a smile tug the corner of her lips when her eyes fell onto her companion of many years. Hiei gave her a soft growl before allowing her to climb onto his back. Feeling lethargic again, she clasped her fingers atop of the demon's head while resting her chin on the folded phalanges. On top of her own head, Sakura felt Arata do the same. Aware that the kitsune was done settling, her emerald eyes finally set themselves onto the scene before them. A large silent gulp of air filled her lungs to keep her from feeling so overwhelmed with emotions.

It was just as she remembered. The sky on this side of the barrier was a soft pink lined with mist or fog here and there. The mountains in the background were a light orange instead of the greens and blues she saw in the human world. Surrounding their group in all directions were white anemone, dotted with large stalks of lotus pods and flowers. Not too far beyond them was a massive castle with its traditional pointed and shingled roofs and layered stories. To complete the scenery, ancient ever-blossoming cherry trees circled the grounds as well as the top and middle stories. When she first saw this as a child, it reminded her of a scene she'd only see in paintings of ancient Japan.

"Th-This place is beautiful!" gasped the only female member of the camera crew. "Where are we?"

Without removing her eyes from the landscape, Sakura answered softly and distantly, "This is the place where I was trained and raised."

At this, she felt all eyes on her, but she chose to ignore them, urging Hiei to move on. But curious as ever, Naruto trotted up beside the enormous beast while dragging an unwilling Sasuke along.

Eyeing Hiei with child like fascination and sparkling eyes, the Jinchuuriki excitedly asked, "How old are you?"

"Old."

"How long have you been serving the Hakurei Clan?"

"Long."

"Uzumaki-san, Hiei doesn't serve us," Sakura corrected, slightly offended for her friend. "He is our companion—a partner we've always trusted in battle."

Her comments served to make Naruto smile wider while Hiei grunted in embarrassment.

"That's so cool! What can you do?"

The beast sighed, the hyper enthusiasm of the blonde wearing him thin. "A lot."

"A lot of what?"

"Normal stuff."

From above the demon's back, Sakura lifted a pink brow in interest, almost wanting to smirk at her partner's irritation. Usually, Hiei would normally pay no mind to most humans, only speaking with very few people or when it was necessary. So she was a bit shocked to see him actually interact with the Uzumaki boy, albeit in short syllables. Glancing further back to her right, she caught sight of the brooding Uchiha who had his hands shoved in his pockets yet again. He was such a mystery to her. The things he did for her were always so puzzling. He'd tease her like a friend one minute, the next he was being overprotective. On the other hand, green eyes moved back to the blonde. Naruto wore every emotion on his sleeve. Sometimes it was easy to tell what he was thinking, yet at other times, not so much. He was almost as unpredictable as the Uchiha boy. Looking to the far right, Sakura saw her team leader conversing with the civilians with the crazy plum haired kunoichi beside him. She also found her teacher to be strange and unreadable—mostly strange. She didn't feel frightened of him like she normally would with most adults. She could tell he had a bit of a teasing, sarcastic side to him, but he was also kind.

The young woman let out a puff of air in frustration, the action causing her bangs to fly up. The movement atop her head brought her back from her musings as two golden eyes popped into her line of vision. Recognizing the look in them, her head shook side to side to let him know she was fine. Content, the kitsune slid back down, getting comfy again.

"We're here, Sakura-sama," announced the black beast.

The group stood before two massive steel gates in awe. Naruto went up and pushed against the doors only to jump back from the shock he received. Sakura said nothing as she watched the blonde go back for a second try, just to be electrocuted again. Sasuke grumbled something about the boy's incompetence and decided to approach the gates himself, but more cautiously than his companion. His Sharingan appeared, analyzing the doors. Through his eyes, he saw chakra swirling throughout the entire castle grounds, not just the doors.

Red eyes narrowed as his hand lightly touched the surface. He felt the shock, but didn't jump back. "This door is rigged."

Somewhat impressed, Sakura suppressed a chuckle as she took Arata from her head, placing him on Hiei's head instead before casually jumping from his back gracefully. "Of course it is," she remarked mockingly, looking at them over her shoulder before moving her eyes onto the gates. "I told you: this is where I trained. They don't just let anyone in." When the rosette placed her hand on the door, no electric current ran through her. Instead, multiple sounds of locks unlinking filled the tense silence around them.

_Click!_

The last seal unlocked, opening the door in loud groans and creaks, revealing deep fog-covered grounds. While everyone was on alert, trying to anticipate any movement, Sakura merely smirked, recognizing the set up. The beast of darkness stepped up beside her, the kitsune now latching onto the blonde's shoulder.

"What's going on?" Naruto whispered quite loudly.

Without turning back, the priestess responded, "Stay back," as she took a step forward and surveyed the surrounding fog. "Don't come inside. Let's go, Hiei." With that, Sakura and Hiei passed the entrance, leaving the group behind. As soon as she did so, however, a spiritual barrier erected behind her, slamming the gates closed, and blocking the others from helping her. She could hear them panicking and banging on the shield on the other side, but she paid them no mind and went ahead.

…

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_Yurei_

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_11: 00 PM…_

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…

Meanwhile as Naruto and Sasuke attacked the spiritual shield, the stone walls on either side of the steel gates started morphing strangely until two gigantic stone guardians appeared before them. The two teen shinobi leapt away with a startled yelp—mostly Naruto—as two huge blades came swinging down in their direction. But the guards stopped abruptly, pulling the blades from the grass and crossed them to keep the group out.

"What the hell?" the Uchiha muttered in confusion, still in his crouched position.

The Uzumaki shook his head. "I don't know, man."

Kakashi came up behind his students, placing a hand on each shoulder. "They're guardians," he informed calmly, looking at them. "Sakura said this is where she trained, right? The only way we could get in is if she defeats whatever is inside or if we're given permission to enter—which we don't." He glanced at the two stone guardians meticulously. "Those two will only attack us if we try to force our way in. This is a sacred sanctuary. We must abide by their rules."

"Oh ho~! This human is quite smart compared to those two idiots! Haha!" came the elderly voice, mocking them sarcastically.

All turned upward at the sound to see an old woman seated upon the right statue with a vine covered club-like staff in her wrinkly hand. She was quite plump with snow white hair, laugh lines at the corner of her aged eyes, and wrinkles throughout her face and hands. What was strange, though, were the clothes she was wearing. The kimono she wore looked like what commoners wore in ancient times with the bottoms all torn up and frayed, yet her hair was placed in a neat and elegant bun. She definitely seemed out of place in such a grand castle. But what froze them in silence was the fact her ears were pointy instead of round. Never in their lives had they seen a person with pointed ears.

"What?! You act like you never seen an old lady before!" she shrieked, clearly offended by the speechless stares.

The Jounin gave a nervous chuckle, scratching the back of his head. "Iiya…it's not that, but—"

The woman's eyes narrowed thinly in skepticism. "Then what?! You don't think an old woman like me can jump that high?! Is that it?!" she demanded as she stood on the edge of the guard's shoulder, alarming everyone. "Well, I'll show you!"

"AH!"

"No, don't!"

Then she jumped off the enormous statue while everyone else clenched their eyes shut, waiting to hear the thump. She lifted a white brow at them like they were crazy. "I'm still alive, you idiots."

Naruto was the first to open his lids, only to open them wider. Disbelieving, he ran over to the old crone, examining her body for bruises. Lifting her arm, he said in skepticism, "What kind of human are you? Most grandmas always cry about their old bones."

_Bam!_

"Itai!"

"How rude!" she huffed, crossing her arms until she noticed the kitsune on his shoulder. Her cloudy gray eyes widen. "What's a child like you doing in this region?"

The yokai was going to answer, but the blonde cut him off first with a shout, "Baba! What the hell? Why'd you hit me for?"

_Bonk!_

Again he got another smack on his noggin. The elderly woman began tapping his forehead with the club end of her staff with thinned eyes.

_Thunk-thunk-thunk-thunk-thunk_

"Listen here, brat."

_Thunk-thunk-thunk-thunk-thunk_

"First off, you will address me as Shouga; not Baba or Shouga-baba

_Thunk-thunk-thunk-thunk-thunk_

The others could only watch in amusement as Naruto was being lectured while losing some brain cells in the process.

"And secondly," Shouga continued, directing her suddenly heavy gaze at each and every one of them. "I'm a demon, not a human."

Sasuke spoke his conclusion quietly, "Then Haruno was trained and raised by demons?"

Shouga scoffed insultingly at him. "As if you humans did any better," came her bitter criticism. "She was only a small child when we found her. There was so much damage to her body that we thought she wouldn't make it. But somehow she did."

Kakashi nodded. "And that's why we're trying to help her now. Just like how there are good demons, there also good humans, too."

Shouga eyed Kakashi suspiciously for a moment until she decided he seemed sincere enough. "Hmmm, de? What do you want? Why are you in Oni no Kuni? Don't you realize this is the worst possible place she could be in right now?"

Anko, unfazed by the twenty questions, stepped up and answered for Kakashi. "This is for her Chuunin Exam, so she can enter the Shinobi Academy."

"Shinobi Aka…de…mi? The hell's that?"

"It's a place where we train kids to be shinobi until they've reached Jounin level," the plum haired kunoichi quickly replied.

The old female demon groaned in bewilderment. "Why would Sakura-chan want to do that for? If anything, it's a wa—"

_Boom!_

_ Boom!_

_ Boom!_

"Ho~!" White brows shot up in surprise. "She's already done? That's a new record."

_Boom!_

The statues uncrossed their spears, and merged back into the stone walls just as the spiritual barrier disappeared and the steel gates opened to reveal an even more disheveled Sakura. Luckily, there wasn't much blood this time, just…less clothes. She wasn't really paying any attention to any of them as she forcibly pulled someone behind her, and by their ear from the looks of it.

"Itaitaitaitai!" complained the old man she was dragging out. He, too, had pointier ears than humans, signifying that he was a demon as well. Though, he looked sickly thin compared to Shouga with large bulging eyes, a long pointed nose, and toothpick like limbs. He had a half bald top knot with a scraggly beard and was wearing a kimono even worse than the old female.

"I told you, Jiji!" the young woman growled through gritted teeth in irritation with a vein popping from her forehead, twisting the demon's ear back further. "Keep it up and I'll rip those arms of yours off. Also…"

Big orbs blinked tearfully. "Also?"

She leaned in with a sadistic grin on her lips, surprising the humans who were not accustomed to seeing her in such a way. "Also, I'll destroy all of your precious weapons that took you so long to make."

"If you did that, you won't have any to choose from," the elderly demon tried to reason, albeit unsuccessfully.

"That's fine. You'll just make me a new one."

Shouga sighed, watching their banter while she made her way over. "Ara ara. Jiro, what did you do now?" she asked exasperatedly, pulling Sakura away from him. "And congratulations, Sakura-chan."

This caught her attention as she blinked wide green eyes at her. "Congratulations?"

A smile curved itself onto Shouga's wrinkled lips. "You completed the course in less than seven minutes," she congratulated once more, enjoying the girl's stunned look.

Soon the amazement fell off her face as she released a long breath and let herself fall forward into Shouga's open arms in fatigue, all the while mumbling a "Yokatta."

"Ah! Sakura-chan!"

"Haruno!"

Sasuke and Naruto dashed over to her unconscious form, but Shouga shooed them away. "You boys leave her alone. Can't you see how tired she is?" she reprimanded, batting their heads with the staff. Turning to the beast, she ordered, "You know which room to take her to."

Hiei bowed his head in understanding, taking the girl, and disappearing in a cloud of darkness.

"Hey!" the blonde yelled, and then turned to look at the elderly demon woman. "Where the hell is that demon taking her?"

Obviously, the response to his demand was another smack to his skull. She groaned in frustration from Naruto's rude behavior. "Do you not know the meaning of manners, boy? If it weren't for Hiei, you'd all be dead," Shouga lectured, waving her staff wildly. "So shut your trap and have some respect."

Naruto, too surprised by her outburst, stayed silent.

Happy with the Jinchuuriki's following attitude, Shouga faced her new guests with a shining hostess smile. "Jiro, would you mind calling for Koume and Kotetsu? Tell them we have guests," she suggested while escorting them into the large castle.

Jiro groaned unhappily, but did as he was asked as he went down the hallways screaming for their servants.

Kakashi, being the mediator that he is, went up alongside the female demon with a crinkled eye. "Thank you kindly for taking us in," he stated with gratitude.

"Hmph! If it weren't for Sakura-chan, we wouldn't have helped you humans at all," Shouga admitted with a grunt, leading them into the huge meeting hall. "You people should be more grateful to her. She didn't deserve all of the things that happened to her."

The Jounin bowered his head once in agreement. "No, she didn't."

Everyone filed into the room one by one, and then sat in three rows with Kakashi seated at the front of the pyramid followed by his team, and the civilians behind them. Shouga, on the other hand, sat before all of them on the cushion just as Jiro walked into the room and sat on the other cushion beside her.

Once the humans were situated, the demons seemed different than when they first met them. However, seeing Shouga and Jiro sitting so straight with good posture and a serious expression on their faces, the two of them didn't look like an old tired couple anymore. There was a regal and elegant air to them now.

Jiro began the conversation with the clearing of his throat, and then inquired in an old raspy voice, "Besides coming here for your exams, are you also here for her pilgrimage?"

Heads turned this way and that until Kakashi spoke up. "Pilgrimage?" he reiterated uncertainly. "I thought that was when they turned seven."

The old man sighed and shook his head. "That's not the pilgrimage, you idiot! That's just training. You really know nothing, you shinobi," came his pitiful reply. Then he saw Sasuke. "You boy! Shouldn't you know of the Hakurei's Coming of Age ceremony? Your clans were allies for many generations until the First Great War!"

The said boy frowned in question. "I don't know anything about that," Sasuke stated, frown still in place. "It was never written down before that."

In the back, Chiba asked loudly, "So what is this Coming of Age thing?"

"Hah~! Shouga, you tell them," Jiro told her, leaning back on one arm. "Their ignorance is annoying me."

Shouga rolled her eyes before turning to them. "When a child of the Hakurei Clan turns _fifteen_, he or she must travel alone with their partners to Oni no Kuni to purify and exorcise a demon here," she explained in a nasally tone. "But before they're allowed to go on the pilgrimage, they must first shoot their first arrow, made only of their spiritual powers—that's the training they do when they're seven. If they can gather enough chakra to form it into the shape of an arrow, and shoot it off without it dying on its path; then they're allowed to go to become a full fledge priest or priestess."

Kakashi nodded, staring boldly at the two elders. "Then what about the child chosen as the Ten no Miko?" he questioned with all seriousness, catching his subordinates' attention.

"How do you know that she is the chosen child?"

"That day in Ame, she summoned the Holy Barrier," he informed. "That barrier among others are signs that the child is the Hakurei no Miko or Ten no Miko."

Jiro and Shouga looked at each other with a brief melancholic expression before it was wiped off their faces completely. The Jounin noticed all of this with a raised brow.

"Sakura-chan goes through the same process except, as the chosen priestess, she has to purify the strongest demon in the region," Shouga explained further while she motioned for the two children standing by the sliding doors. "Ah! Koume, Kotetsu! Is dinner ready?"

The child, Koume, was a lion dog demon as was her older twin brother, Kotetsu—their floppy ears, an indicator of this. She bobbed her hazel colored head once with a bright smile. "Hai! Would you like it now?"

"Yes," she answered, and then added. "Send some to Sakura-chan as well."

The twins' ember eyes lit up at the mention of Sakura. "Nee-chan's home?" they chorused together excitedly.

Jiro chuckled lightly at their enthusiasm. "Just be careful," he warned playfully. "She might still be in a bad mood."

The older twin, Kotetsu, let out a 'tsk' while shaking his head. "That's 'cause you're such an old pervert," the boy muttered.

Both Chuunins snapped their heads up at the comment, anger now making its way on their faces. "Is that why she was so upset?" Naruto questioned, getting up from his cushion to knock out the old fart.

"Did you touch her?" Sasuke growled, also getting up. However, the brunette and blonde were stopped by a pull on their collars.

Jiro sensed their hostile aura, and raised his hands in defense. "I haven't seen her in six months! Naturally I would miss her like my own!" he reasoned, but the teens weren't having it as they pulled free from Kakashi's grip. When the Uchiha got a tight grip on the front of his kimono with Naruto popping his knuckles beside him, Jiro gaze pleadingly with tears in his eyes at his wife. "Help me, Shouga!"

The woman only shrugged. "You shouldn't have touched her."

Hearing the response, evil smirk curled on both boys' faces. "You hear that, you perverted Jiji?" Naruto taunted.

"Even your wife won't help," muttered Sasuke.

The old man pulled back, whimpering.

_Bam!_

_ Smack!_

_ Thump!_

Naruto and Sasuke went back to their cushions, dusting their hands, plopping down unceremoniously, muttering about old perverts while Jiro was sprawled across the tatami mats sporting several new bumps.

The Jounin could only let out nervous laughs at the damage his students created. "Su-suman," he apologized. "I suppose you could say Naruto and Sasuke are protective of her."

"Meh, he deserved it," the old bat waved off, giving her husband a not so pitiful glare before refocusing it on the twins. "Either way, still bring her some dinner," Shouga repeated, sending the lion dogs on their way. Once gone, she cleared her throat with a cough until she continued on. "Besides testing her strong abilities to exorcise and purify; the last part of ceremony is for her to perform the _Kagura." _

Sasuke's fine black brows met in the center. "_Kagura_? The sending dance?"

Naruto tilted his head to look at his friend curiously. "What's that, Teme?"

The Uchiha glanced at the elders briefly before carrying on. "The _Kagura_ is a dance normally performed by strong priestesses to ease the dead's pain and help them move onto the next world."

"Hmm? I thought you said all the records were never written down, boy," Jiro commented while picking his ear absentmindedly. "So how do you know of this ceremony?"

Sasuke lowered his gaze with fists clenched, and spoke no words. At that moment, the twins brought in the food.

"Now, now. We don't need any more sadness here," the female demon said, dismissing it. "We have wonderful dinner before us, and you're all safe. Sore ni, I understand why you shinobi are here; but who are the people behind you?"

The four civilians all perked up at the mention. Sekimoto evidently decided to be the spokesperson for the group. Placing a hand on himself, the brunette introduced himself. "I'm Sekimoto Miyu, the director of the camera crew. This one here is Chiba Daisuke"—he pointed to the oldest salt and peppered haired man before pointing to the man next to him who was slightly younger with grayer blonde hair and brown eyes—"That's Sato Kei. These two men are our cameramen. And last, but definitely not least, is Fukuda Yumi, our sound girl." The said girl ducked her eyes underneath her bushy brown hair, avoiding everyone's stares.

The two elders blinked once. "Okay?"

Realizing he didn't explain their presence there, Sekimoto clarified with a sheepish chuckle, "We're here to film Haruno-san's progress in the exam, so the kages and daimyos and everyone else can watch."

"So they can watch?" Shouga repeated.

"Even though she's all the way here?" Jiro pointed out.

As the elder demons go at it with the civilians clearly not understanding modern technology, Naruto ignored them and was about to lean over and ask the brooding brunette where he thought Sakura was at, only to find him missing as well. He moved his head around as far as it could scan and saw that Sasuke was nowhere in sight. Still, even though he was curious, the food before him was far more interesting and hard to resist. Instead, the Jinchuuriki decided that the always sulking Uchiha was old enough to take care of himself and didn't need his help.

…

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_Mononoke_

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_Meanwhile with Sasuke…_

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The hallways of the castle were lined on both sides with paper sliding doors with candles lit every five feet. Despite its old appearance, the interior was well kept, not a dust streak in sight. Even so, the young man wondered if the two lion dogs before him really do all the work in a building this huge. But more importantly, he wondered when they were going to reach their intended destination because his back was killing him from being pulled by the female twin while the boy carried his dinner tray.

"Really, I can walk on my own just fine," Sasuke persisted, trying to pull away, but Koume wasn't having any of that.

Tightening her grip, the child said with a loud grin, "We're almost there!"

Kotetsu rolled his eyes. "Imoutou, you said that an hour ago," he drawled out in boredom with a knowing eye. "You're lost, aren't you?"

The younger twin sputtered as a blush filled her complexion. "N-No! The castle's just b-big!"

Kotetsu shook his head with a sigh, the movement shaking his ears from side to side. "I'll lead, but you should really let go of the human's hand," the boy gestured with a nod dully, going ahead. "His back is hurting him."

Again, Koume blushed at her mistake, finally realizing it. "Sorry."

Sasuke silently thanked the gods as he straightened up and popped his vertebrae back into place. It only took him several strides to catch up with the older twin while the other ran. With Kotetsu leading, it only took them five minutes to find their destination.

Sasuke stopped, debating to continue forward when he saw the really dim bit of light streaming through the thin paper squares. But his answer came when the twins slid open the door, revealing more light. While Kotetsu went on, Koume beckoned him from the darkness, telling him to come see her. Unsurely, his feet slowly moved him closer and closer to the light until he was facing the room.

Before him stood a room that was fairly bigger than what a normal bedroom would look like. The room was simple and modest, not too flashy—as expected from the girl that grew up here. At all four corners of the room stood four candle stands; but only the one on the left farthest from him was lit, making it dim enough to sleep, yet bright enough so he could still see where he was going. Also on the left laid Hiei, his body curled in itself, as he watched over the canopy tent covered futon in front of him. Before Sasuke was two sliding doors that were opened a foot wide to let in some cool air while allowing him to see the bit of garden beyond it. Finally at the right side of the huge space were a round table with four cushions on each side, and two trays of food sitting on the flat top surface. Noticing that both trays were still full, of course, one of them was his, Sasuke refocused his eyes on the blocked futon. The canopy was a see through gossamer fabric while the top was rigid to keep the four sides standing. Narrowing his eyes slightly, he could see the silhouette of her figure in the bed.

Pacing over with shinobi stealth, the only sound heard was the sometimes rustling of the canopy. Sitting cross legged outside of the fabric, he noticed her green eyes on him, still gleaming in spite of the darkness. Koume and Kotetsu both sat on either side of him, worry etched on their little faces.

"Nee-chan, you really need to eat," Koume urged gently, and then looked at her older brother who seemed just as concerned.

"Please, Nee-chan, or you won't heal properly," Kotetsu added.

Sakura moved her eyes from Sasuke to each of the lion dogs before turning her back to them. The twins groaned in aggravation, twisting their watery gazes up to him. Seeing their desperation, the Uchiha sighed until he got up, walked to the table, and grabbed both dinner trays. As he set one beside himself, Koume pulled the string on the left post by her head to raise the fabric while Kotetsu went to open the doors fully to reveal a dark blue sky hanging over the magnificent garden.

The brunette then waited for the priestess to sit up and eat her dinner; however, she made no movements whatsoever. It was hard to tell whether she was awake or not since the futon was so thick.

He sighed again. "You can't feed yourself, right?" he questioned, receiving no answer. But that silence only served to confirm his suspicion. Her body was too beat up from earlier to even move. Black orbs eyeballed the beast behind her head and then back to her immobile body. "Hiei, would you have Sakura sit up against you, so she can have her dinner?"

The three demons looked at him curiously until they shrugged, following Sasuke's lead. Using their magic, the twins raised the canopy frame, setting it behind Sasuke so it wouldn't catch fire by the lit candle. The lion dogs then proceeded to remove the blanket off the rosette, showing that she was wearing white cotton yukata. Lifting her bruised body into his arms as gently as he could, Sasuke waited for Koume to bring over two seat cushions by Hiei's side before he set her down. Kotetsu, on the other hand, grabbed the blanket, dragging it over to cover her body before going over to fold the bedding. Sitting on the other cushion, the young man had the trays not too far from him.

Sakura's tray was the only one with a large pot of soup and tea, in case she didn't feel like chewing the more solid foods. Taking off the lid, he saw that it was browned rice soup with chicken garnished with green onions, cilantro, and crushed black peppers. Grabbing the ladle provided, he scooped two ladles full into the small rice bowl while Kotetsu poured tea into the porcelain cups. Once Koume got Sakura comfortable, Sasuke took a small soup spoonful, blowing on it to cool it down. He then moved the spoon to her lips, expecting her to part them, but the teen merely gave him a deadpan glare.

Sasuke groaned. "It's either I feed you or Kakashi and Naruto can."

Seeing the possibility of more harm to her with the other two, Sakura tried to lean forward as Sasuke pushed the spoon into her mouth. The girl winced slightly from the feel of the hot porridge sliding down her esophagus.

As she ate, Sasuke suddenly because aware of all the bandages on her body and face. His heart felt heavy. What was the point of being her partner if he couldn't help her? He understood that it was for her exam, but it was really difficult to watch her suffer the test alone.

With that thought still on his mind, Sasuke fed her while eating his own dinner in between her bites before feeding her again. Once the pot was nearly gone, he helped her drink some tea, supporting her back as he did so. He observed her silently as her body leaned back against Hiei slowly, minding the wounds. Her mint green eyes were closed off from him, her chest rose high and low in slow deep breaths while lavender lids clenched once in a while from the abrupt throb. Beside her, the twins were already fast asleep.

"I'm sorry."

Sasuke snapped his head up, eyes wide. "What? Why?"

She rolled her eyes. "Like you don't know?"

"I don't," he frowned.

Avoiding his eyes, Sakura said, "I don't like people worrying for me, so I'll try to be stronger."

He blinked once before releasing a tired chuckle.

Sakura looked back at him with one brow cocked. "What's so funny?" she asked grumpily. Here she was apologizing and he was laughing. "Hey—"

A wind chime outside sang beautifully, soothingly as the wind outside picked up slightly. The trickling water from the garden and the rhythmic _thock_ of the _sozu_ hitting against the rock filled the air. Inside the room was much more tense and apprehensive as the sleeping demons were blissfully unaware of what was happening. The young priestess sat stock still while the equally young Chuunin laid his head against her right shoulder. She was shocked by the action and didn't know what to say. Instead she relaxed and opted to listen to him breathe.

After a while, Sasuke finally murmured, "I'm the one who should be sorry."

Waiting patiently, the rosette said nothing.

His lungs expanded, breathing in the air and her scent deeply. Lifting his head, Sasuke moved it to place his forehead against hers.

Without opening his eyes, he went on. "It's strange…even though we've only know each other for a little more than a month, I feel the need to protect you with my life." He pulled back to look at her directly, intensity burning into hers. "When we're done with this, I promise you, you won't have to fight alone anymore."

Not knowing how to respond to such a promise, Sakura could only nod numbly. Satisfied by her reaction, Sasuke tucked her in, letting her sleep against Hiei while he went to settle by the sliding doors.

For the entire night, no one said anything until sleep took over and a new day began.

* * *

Yo! Sorry for the long update. Have been very busy this past few weeks, mostly in my personal life. Because of the almost heartbreaking events I went through, it kinda inspired for a new fic later on. Thankfully, everything was solved and still intact. Plus, like I said, I've started painting again, so if it takes me longer, I'm sorry.

Anyways, I hope you guys liked the chapter and that it was long enough to again make up for the late update.

Notes:

Onibaba - demon hag

Onore - curse you

Shouki - evil aura

Youki - demonic aura

Jaki - miasma

Yurei - ghosts (western sense)

Sore ni - Moreover

Sozu - Japanese shishiodoshi to scare off birds and critters from destroying the gardens. It's the bamboo arm that gets filled with water and makes that _thock_ sound when the water pours back out.

Canopy Tent - watch Inuyasha the 3rd movie

The Rice Soup w/ Chicken - Vietnamese Chao Ga (if you want to know how to make it the way described, you can email me)

Well, I've already started on the new chapter where more characters will be introduced, revealing more on the Team 7's odd connection. Also, the bad guy will finally show up. I'm sure you'd be able to guess who lol.

**Alrighty! That's it for now. Please be kind. REVIEW Please. It's always good for me to know what you guys think. Also, I thought for this time for fun, you guys could ask ONE CHARACTER QUESTION to get some curiosity out!  
**

Sincerely,

Hoozuki

Final Word Count: 15, 767 Words (My hands hurt)


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